A woman living with HIV in Ireland has been unable to access publicly funded IVF treatment due to the lack of appropriate laboratory facilities.
In 2023, Ireland introduced free fertility treatments for eligible patients, including some services for people living with HIV. However, there are currently no labs in the country that can accommodate IVF for HIV-positive women, as legal requirements dictate separate storage for their samples.
The Irish government has announced plans to open a new fertility center in 2025, aiming to offer public services, including IVF, that cater to individuals living with HIV. The Health Service Executive (HSE), responsible for public healthcare in Ireland, told BBC News NI that advances in HIV treatment have prompted a review of its policies. Some labs elsewhere are using new scheduling and cleaning methods to manage any potential risk of cross-contamination without needing separate facilities.
For Ainara Pederoso and her husband Peter, like many others in Ireland, starting a family has been a challenge. Ainara, who was diagnosed with HIV in 2017, shared that when she disclosed her HIV status to fertility clinics, options quickly disappeared. “When I told them I had HIV, all the doors started closing,” she explained.
Despite efforts to contact private IVF providers in Ireland, none were able to accommodate them. Ainara has since started a petition to raise awareness about the need for public lab facilities for people living with HIV in Ireland. She acknowledges that while her efforts may not benefit her directly, she hopes to inspire change.
Ainara also highlighted the stigma surrounding HIV, sharing that many women with HIV are still afraid to speak out about their diagnosis due to fear of judgment. Despite this, she feels it’s important to raise her voice: “Someone has to speak about this.”
Ireland has one of the highest rates of HIV in Western Europe, with diagnoses increasing in recent years, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. While plans for a national public fertility center are underway, the HSE notes that patients living with HIV are not denied treatment, as they can receive funding to seek care abroad. However, Ainara and Peter found they did not qualify for this funding and are now paying for IVF in Spain.
Learn more about HIV and IVF
When it comes to HIV and IVF (In Vitro Fertilization), there are several important aspects to consider, particularly with advances in medicine making it possible for people living with HIV to have children safely and healthily. Here’s a quick overview of how HIV intersects with IVF treatment:
1. Advances in HIV Treatment
Modern antiretroviral therapies (ART) have significantly reduced the viral load in HIV-positive individuals, often to undetectable levels. This means that with proper treatment, the risk of transmitting the virus to a partner or to a baby can be virtually eliminated. For people living with HIV, this opens up the possibility of fertility treatments like IVF without the fear of passing the virus.
2. Sperm Washing
In cases where the male partner is HIV-positive, sperm washing is a common procedure used in IVF. This technique separates sperm cells from the seminal fluid, where the virus is typically found. The “washed” sperm is then used for IVF or intrauterine insemination (IUI). Studies show that this method greatly reduces the risk of HIV transmission to both the partner and the child.
3. Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U)
The U=U concept means that when a person living with HIV is on effective ART and has an undetectable viral load, the virus cannot be transmitted to others through sexual contact. This principle reassures many couples that they can conceive naturally or via IVF without transmitting HIV.
4. IVF Clinics and HIV-Positive Patients
Not all fertility clinics are equipped to handle HIV-positive patients due to legal or logistical reasons, such as the need for separate storage facilities for sperm and eggs. However, many clinics around the world do provide specialized services for people living with HIV, ensuring that IVF is conducted in a safe and ethical manner.
5. Egg and Embryo Freezing
Some women living with HIV choose to freeze their eggs for future use if they are not yet ready for pregnancy. With ART, HIV-positive women can safely undergo egg retrieval and IVF, with a very low risk of transmission to the child.
6. Reducing Risk to the Child
During IVF, precautions are taken to minimize the risk of transmission to the child. If a mother is HIV-positive, she will likely continue ART throughout the pregnancy, which drastically reduces the chances of passing the virus to the baby. In most cases, if the mother’s viral load remains undetectable, the risk of mother-to-child transmission is less than 1%.
7. Emotional and Psychological Support
Undergoing IVF can be emotionally challenging, and living with HIV can add another layer of complexity. Many clinics provide counseling and support services to help couples navigate both the medical and emotional aspects of fertility treatment when HIV is involved.
In summary, with the advancements in HIV treatment and technologies like sperm washing, people living with HIV can safely pursue IVF and other fertility treatments, ensuring that they can start families without transmitting the virus to their partner or child. It’s essential to work with a specialized clinic that understands and accommodates these needs.
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