
HIV+ MEN
Advanced double sperm-washing techniques now enable HIV-positive men to have their own biological children with no risk of their surrogates or children picking up the disease.
The first step is to make sure that HIV-positive men have an undetectable viral load for at least six months on their medication. From there, the sperm is collected and screened by FDA standards. The sperm is then double washed and tested at an HIV specialty lab for DNA or RNA traces of HIV. Once the sample is cleared, the final step is for the surrogate to go on HIV medication about three days before the embryo transfer.
How many fertility clinics offer this technology?
According to Dan Bowers, MD, co-founder of the HIV-Assisted Reproductive Technologies (HART) Program, only about 3% of fertility clinics handle sperm from HIV-positive men.
Creating LGTBQ Families regularly works with the HART Program.