HIV and Surrogacy

Recent statistics show that more than 600,000 gay and bisexual men are HIV-positive, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Many of these men are in their reproductive years and want to be able to have a child that is biologically theirs. Surrogacy, using best practice safety standards, opens up the possibility of parenthood to these HIV-positive men.

The Process of Biological Family Building With A Surrogate

Medical advances in recent decades have transformed the prognosis of people diagnosed with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). People are now able to live long and healthy lives, while their condition is effectively managed medically. In fact, the life expectancy of people with HIV is almost identical to those of their non-HIV positive peers. At Simple Surrogacy, we recognize that many people with HIV want to become parents. And, at Simple Surrogacy, we pride ourselves on extending surrogacy opportunities to men living with HIV – in a way that is safe for these men, the surrogates, and the potential babies.

And It’s Safe For The Surrogate Mother and Embryo

The first question that many men with HIV have is: Is it safe for me to father a child via surrogacy? The short answer to this question is absolutely yes! With cutting-edge preventative medications, an HIV-positive individual’s viral load can be effectively reduced to undetectable levels.  Prior to moving forward with the surrogacy process, the prospective father’s sperm is tested for HIV, using the most sensitive tests on the market. If necessary, this sperm is then washed and prepared for artificial insemination.
At this point, the sperm can then be safely used to fertilize a donor egg with absolutely no risk of transmitting HIV to either the surrogate mother or the embryo. At Simple Surrogacy, we ensure that best practice treatment and safety protocols are utilized, and we stay up-to-date on all emerging research in this area.
In the last decade-plus, several thousand surrogates have successfully carried babies to term for HIV-positive men. There has not been a single case in which either the surrogate or the baby has developed HIV.

Communication Is Key

Communication is one of the things that Simple Surrogacy prides itself on. And, communication is even more essential when there are special circumstances. It is important that all participating surrogates have full information about what HIV is and the risks (or lack of risks) that may exist in participating in an HIV surrogacy. This ensures that the surrogates are able to give fully informed consent to participate. And, with this information, most surrogates say yes to the opportunity to give the gift of parenthood to these men.
It is important to note that these technologies potentially positively affect thousands of people. As noted above, hundreds of thousands of gay and bisexual men are HIV-positive and many of them dream of becoming a parent. Prior to the introduction of these new safe technologies, many of these men may have felt that their dreams of parenthood were closed to them.

In Conclusion

Medical advances have changed the face of HIV. These advances have made the condition something that affected people can deal with their entire life, with careful following by medical professionals and access to the best preventative medicines on the market, and awareness about the importance of healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices. At Simple Surrogacy, we pride ourselves on opening up the wonderful world of parenthood to people who would otherwise not have these amazing opportunities. And, HIV-positive men are definitely one of these groups. By using best practice protocols, we ensure that this process is entirely safe for everyone involved: the prospective fathers, the surrogates, and the babies.