Learn about sperm washing methods for couples with HIV

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thi Man - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. The doctor has more than 10 years of experience in diagnosing, consulting and treating in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

For HIV-infected couples who want to have children, it is necessary to seek advice and help from medical professionals to avoid the situation that the child is born unhealthily or may become a burden to society.
An HIV-infected mother can pass it on to her baby. In the past, people with HIV were prevented from getting pregnant and giving birth, but now, thanks to the great development of modern medicine, people living with HIV can still have a healthy life extension. . Currently, HIV is viewed as a chronic disease that can be controlled.
If a man infected with HIV can safely have a baby if they perform sperm washing and then perform in vitro fertilization, after the embryo is implanted into the wife's body.
In fact, in Vietnam, people living with HIV are not encouraged to have children, although it is not prohibited.

Sperm are added to a ready-made chemical (sperm culture medium) and then placed in a centrifuge. Thanks to the action of centrifugal force, healthy sperm will go to one side, weak, deformed and seminal sperm will go to one side. If the HIV virus is present in the semen, it will also be separated from the sperm. By centrifugation, the HIV virus can be removed, like other pathogens or toxins found in plasma. However, whether this method achieves 100% efficiency is not yet certain. Because the HIV virus can survive in the sperm cell itself, but not in the plasma, this washing is futile, and the baby may still be infected with HIV.
Sperm washing is a technique to remove semen in order to reduce the risk of infection to the baby, but not completely eliminate the risk of infection. This is also not a completely safe method. There is up to a 5% risk of a positive sperm sample after sperm washing.
Sperm washing is not yet 100% effective, but the presence of this method offers a great source of hope for HIV-infected couples.
After being provided with enough information about health and risk of infection, HIV-infected couples can make their own decisions whether to have children or not because this is the legitimate right of all couples couple.

Assisted reproduction by sperm washing is only available to couples whose husbands are HIV-infected and whose wives are not HIV-infected.
The wife should be monitored to rule out the possibility of HIV window period, i.e. a negative HIV test 6 months after the first negative test. During all sexual intercourse, the couple must use a condom.
The wife needs to do some investigations such as a hysterosalpingogram, the husband needs to do a semen analysis. If the wife's fallopian tubes are open, the sperm can be washed and pumped into the wife's uterus.
For couples infected with HIV, to have a safe and healthy baby, it is necessary to go to reputable medical facilities to get advice from medical staff on fertility issues, the potential for success as well as the potential benefits and risks for the child, and couples need to be prepared in terms of the cost of treatment if the process is long-term.

The sperm washing method is currently being applied at the Reproductive Support Center - Vinmec International General Hospital.
The sperm washing method for artificial insemination at Vinmec is carried out methodically and scientifically, in a sterile environment and conditions of international standards, ensuring the best sperm quality. The sperm washing process is performed by leading modern medical equipment, under the supervision of leading infertility treatment experts and doctors, helping the process of artificial insemination. create the best results.
With the support of the most modern and advanced equipment in the world and a team of leading specialists in the country, Vinmec is helping thousands of couples realize their dream of becoming a parent around the world. country..