At '25 Years and Counting' our lively discussion forum (i.e., the comments section) provides plenty of good insight, information and sometimes, questions around HIV and AIDS.
Some questions I try to answer, but some need to be deferred to a medical professional.
Dr. Rani G. Whitfield, MD, also known as Tha Hip Hop Doc (H2D), has a general practice in Baton Rouge, LA and also works in high schools and in prisons. He has appeared on BET's '106th and Park' dispensing medical advice and has a chapter in the book, 'Not In My Family' -- a collection of essays on AIDS in the African-American community.
Our question this time comes from Darnell, who posted on HIV and Pregnancy (#52):
"Negative children born to positive mothers is definitely a gift from God. I'm young a professional black male, diagnosed with HIV three years ago. My hopes for fathering a child have been shattered, is there anything out there for HIV+ men who want to become biological fathers?"
H2D Responds:
Several studies have been done on relationships where one partner is positive and the other is negative. This is called mixed status or HIV discordant couples. Even if the HIV (+) partner has a healthy immune or defense system (low viral load and good CD4 count), the possibility of infecting the HIV (-) person is still very real.
A baby can only be HIV positive if his/her mother is HIV positive. Medicines, such as AZT, can be used during child birth to prevent the virus from spreading to the baby. However, mixed status couples that continue to have unprotected sex in an attempt to "get pregnant" run the risk of infecting both mom AND baby.
Unfortunately, at this time, there are not many options. I strongly recommend condom use (male and/or female) during sex between mixed status couples. Great question. Lets stay Hip-Hop Healthy!
Continue to submit your questions via your comments in the blog.
For more on Dr. Rani G. Whitfield, M.D., please visit his Web site: www.h2doc.com
Comments: (42)
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By: Cecil Jones on 5/09/2007 11:13AM
I'm not a physician, but my understanding of HIV is that this is a virus. Is a virus a part of our DNA and is it transferred at birth? An infected partner is always at some risk to transmit the disease, but on what level is this disease a part of our system? I haven't heard anyone discuss HIV as a part of our chromosomes; therefore it might be possible to father a child without HIV infection. I'm not HIV positive and I don't want to know, but we must assume everyone is potentially infected. How can anyone prove that the infection came from one person or the other. What's more significant is the fact that people want healthy babies. Why would anyone try to father a child if they know they are infected? What woman would willingly allow herself to be infected or placed at risk in an experiment to assess blame? Dumb question! Why would Blacks waste our time talking about such selfish things?
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By: andrea on 5/08/2007 9:04PM
My best friend had a baby girl who just turned 1. He and the baby's mother are both HIV positive. So far the baby is HIV negative although she has sickle cell.
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By: PJ on 5/09/2007 11:14AM
I read years back that they can do sperm washing and basically, fertilization is done in vitro. So there is hope for hiv + males who wants to become a father. I am sure this procedure is very expensive but it is out there. Do a search on google for hiv + and sperm washing. Thanks Pj
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By: Kiely on 5/08/2007 11:50PM
I had a friend who has full blown A.I.D.S and he father a child with a girl who was hiv positive. The baby was born healthy and the mother had to take some medication while she was pregnant. After the baby was born the baby had to take some medicine and when the baby was around six month old she was taken off the medicine. I do not know how the baby is doing now, but it is possible for the baby to be born healthy.
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By: mo clark on 5/09/2007 11:33AM
This comment is a responce to cecil jones. I think you ask some wonderful questions, but i feel as if you become ignorant later on in your statement. Sweety, education is a necessity. No one is selfish for wanting to bring another life into this world. Having a baby is one of the most beautiful things, and any one should be able to have one. HIV is serious, and yes, infected people do have children. I do not think u should call black people selfish.
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By: nikki coleman on 5/09/2007 12:37AM
what time in the month a woman is fertile to have a baby is it after her menustration or before her menustration.my friend told me geritol can make a woman fertile to have a baby is that true
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By: djones on 5/09/2007 11:36AM
listen i understand that you might want to have a baby even thought you are hiv positive but aren't you scared that later on down the line after that child is born that he might get it? even thought it might not show up until 10 years later that child is going to be upset because they were born with a disease that they have to live with for the rest of there lives. trust me i know it happened to me and im 32.
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By: Diamonds2 on 5/10/2007 9:53AM
Unfortunately your dreams as father has been shattered however you may still have the opporunity to find an already made family that is willing to accept and love you.
HIV positive is a serious matter and for you to infect someone else for the sake of having a child is plain crazy. Sorry
Adoption is alway and option.
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By: Sharon on 5/10/2007 12:52PM
I am glad that this issue is being discussed openly, it has been a taboo subject for years in the AA community. I am glad the gentle brought his question to the for front to be open;y discussed to see how others are feeling that are coping with the diease. I am an AIDS activist and my status is negative but I see so many others coping with this and I feel that it is my duty to educate and learn in the process. GOD BLESSS
P.S djones May I ask what happened? I don't understand your statement
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By: Horace Nichols on 5/10/2007 4:32PM
Its all about PROTECTION.. if one who is HIV+ having thoughts about bringing children into this world with someone who is negative consenting adults..WHATS THE PROBLEM??..just be responsible enough to take care of that child if he/she is positive after its birth.. more CAREFUL if both are positive then someone end up with a different strain of HIV from what I understand can cause other major problems..PROTECT the UNBORN as well as yourself.
P.S..Pj think your comment is an excellent option and Djones I don't get yours tell us more.. sound like you need to educate yourself.
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