How the sperm wash technique can help an HIV positive man father a healthy baby

With this technique, it is possible to prevent HIV transmission from father to baby.

There are HIV positive couples who might want to have a baby. While there is no cure for this viral infection that suppresses one immunity and considerably increases chances of mortality, but with ART medications or antiretroviral drugs, it is possible to control the spread of HIV and delay its progression into full-blown AIDS. Couples who are infected with HIV or even if one partner is infected with the same and want to have a baby, first tests are done to check the viral load of the infected partners to see if it will affect the pregnancy in any way. Experts say that if the viral load is less then planning a pregnancy between two HIV infected people or even where one partner is infected can be considered.

Now, mother-to-child transmission of this virus can happen in three ways: through the placenta in the womb, during labour and delivery in the birth canal or while breastfeeding. To reduce the chances of transmission from mother-to-child, ART medications during pregnancy help to an extent. But when the father is HIV positive sperm washing is the best way to ensure that the virus is not transmitted from the father to the baby.

Here, Ms Sangeetha Kumar, Senior Embryologist, The Origin International Fertility Centre explains this technique and how it helps an HIV positive man birth a healthy baby.

What is sperm wash?

Sperm wash is a process, where sperm cells are separated from semen. It helps in enhancing the motility (movement) of the sperm and eliminating dead or slow-moving sperm as well as additional chemicals like prostaglandins that pose a risk to the patients or impair her chances of getting pregnant. Sperm wash is usually a part of fertility treatment. It is ideally required for the diagnostic purpose (to check the functional capacity of the sperm) or for therapeutic recovery (IUI, IVF, ICSI).

How sperm washing helps an HIV positive man to birth a healthy baby?

Sperm washing can be used to prevent transmission of the HIV virus. HIV is transmitted mainly through seminal fluid, without being present in the sperm itself. HIV infected man can still father a child by preventing the transmission of infection to the partner or to the offspring. Sperm washing does not eliminate the entire risk of transmission, but the risk is greatly reduced.

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