Ways to prevent passing HIV to an HIV-negative woman

If you’re maintaining an undetectable viral load, you will not pass HIV to an HIV-negative partner through sex.

However, if you are not on treatment or haven’t been able to maintain an undetectable viral load, PrEP may be an option for your partner to consider. PrEP, which stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis, involves a person who is HIV negative taking a prescription pill on a regular basis to prevent HIV. If you would like to know more about PrEP, visit a PrEP clinic, talk to a healthcare provider or visit www.catie.ca/client-publication/prep-to-prevent-hiv-your-questions-answered.

You may have heard about sperm washing as a way to prevent passing HIV when trying to conceive. Sperm washing is a process of separating sperm out of semen. Sperm do not contain HIV, so using washed sperm prevents HIV from being passed. Sperm washing is not needed if you have an undetectable viral load because this eliminates any risk of passing HIV. If you have questions about sperm washing, ask a healthcare provider.

It is always recommended that you work with your healthcare team to achieve an undetectable viral load before trying to conceive.