The Need to Know - A.J.
A.J.’s version of answering Frequently Asked Questions.
A friend asked me this question in relation to HIV.
“Can You Die From HIV?”
Yes. While ARVs drug regimens greatly reduce levels of the virus and its effects, people still die of HIV/AIDS. HIV does not directly cause death, but it destroys the immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to the infections and cancers of AIDS. People with AIDS can die from infections that most people with healthy immune systems can easily overcome. Early diagnosis and taking HIV meds as prescribed significantly reduces the risk of HIV progression, death, and passing the infection to others.
“Can People With HIV Have Children?”
Yes. With HIV treatments, it is possible to have a healthy pregnancy without the risk of passing HIV to a partner or child. Women with HIV should work with their doctors to establish the best treatment before and during pregnancy. Some women with undetectable levels of HIV can deliver their baby via a vaginal birth, but for others, a caesarean section (C-section) is recommended. Mothers with HIV may be recommended to feed their babies formula since HIV can be passed via breast milk. I personally have had my 2 daughters after being diagnosed with HIV. I talked about this in last week’s blog post.
Some men with undetectable levels of HIV can father a child naturally without fear of passing HIV to their partner or child. However, some men may be advised to submit their sperm for a process called “sperm washing,” wherein sperm is separated from the HIV-containing semen. The sperm is then artificially inseminated into the woman for conception. Note: Sperm washing has not been proven 100% effective.
“Is There a Cure For HIV or AIDS?”
There is no cure for HIV or AIDS. However, ART for HIV is so effective that it can prevent AIDS from developing in nearly every case, reducing HIV related deaths, treatable chronic illness. Treatments can also effectively lower the risk of transmitting HIV between sexual partners. In Ontario, 85.8% of women diagnosed with HIV are on ART, and 96.9% of these women are virally suppressed.
Sources include: https://www.ohesi.ca/a-snapshot-of-hiv-diagnoses-and-the-hiv-care-cascade-among-women-in-ontario/#:~:text=Of%20the%20105%20women%20diagnosed,Indigenous%20(7%20or%2013%25).
