Fertility Treatment and Surrogacy for People Living with HIV

People living with HIV may have several options for building a family. The appropriate route depends on treatment history, test results, fertility needs and applicable requirements. The medical team assesses each case and explains the recommended protocol, information sharing and consent before treatment proceeds.

Why parenthood is possible today

Effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) can reduce the amount of virus in the blood to undetectable levels. Combined with laboratory techniques that separate sperm from seminal fluid, the risk of passing HIV to an embryo, a partner or a surrogate can be reduced substantially, although no protocol removes every risk. Each case is assessed individually by the clinic’s doctors.

HIV-positive fathers: sperm washing and ICSI

1. Medical assessment: your viral load and treatment history are reviewed. Ideally the viral load is stably undetectable.
2. Sperm washing: sperm cells are separated from seminal fluid and other cells in the laboratory.
3. Testing of the washed sample to confirm it is suitable for use.
4. ICSI: a single washed sperm cell is injected into each egg, either from the intended mother or from a donor.
5. Embryo transfer to the intended mother or to a gestational surrogate.

HIV-positive mothers

For women living with HIV, the main focus is effective ART and an undetectable viral load before and during pregnancy, together with specialized obstetric care. If the intended mother cannot carry a pregnancy for medical reasons, her embryos can be transferred to a gestational surrogate.

Protecting the surrogate

When a surrogate is involved, her safety comes first. Embryos are created from washed sperm under strict laboratory protocols, and the surrogate is monitored with regular testing throughout the pregnancy. The surrogate is informed about the HIV status and the safety measures before she gives her consent to the program.

Confidentiality

Your health information is handled confidentially and shared only with those who need it for your program: the treating medical team, your coordinator and, as part of her informed consent, the surrogate. Access follows the applicable law and the clinic’s procedures.

Who can join an HIV program in Armenia?

The general eligibility rules for surrogacy in Armenia apply: married heterosexual couples, single women with a medical indication, and single men who are the biological father. See who can use surrogacy in Armenia for details.

Contact our team in confidence

If you are living with HIV and are thinking about having a child, we can explain the options and arrange an individual assessment by the clinic’s doctors. Book a confidential consultation or send us a message via WhatsApp.

This article is general information and does not replace medical advice. Treatment decisions are made by the clinic’s doctors based on your individual situation.