Caller Tells Ian Payne Why He Continued To Try For A Baby With HIV Positive Wife

1 December 2018, 19:15

A caller tells Ian Payne why he and his HIV positive wife continued to try for a baby after she was diagnosed with the virus.

Joe's wife contracted HIV from her dentist who used dirty utensils, but that didn't stop the couple continuing to try for a baby.

Speaking to Ian Payne, he said that his wife's health "took a turn for the worst" and her doctor began tests.

"She got tested for something else, and they actually found out she was HIV positive," he said.

"For her, it was a nightmare."

"We have a beautiful daughter, and she is HIV negative.

"I'm HIV negative, and obviously for us to have a baby we had to have unprotected sex.

"When we met, she hid it from me for a while, but then again we used protection.

"But when she told me, I would never leave her."

Ian Payne asked: "In terms of unprotected sex, obviously you wanted to have children, was there any doubt in your mind that this was not safe?"

Joe replied: "When we went to the clinic and they said it was completely fine, you can have a child. She just needs to be careful."

HIV is a virus that damages the cells in the immune system and weakens the ability to fight infections and disease.

If left untreated, HIV can develop into AIDS but while AIDS can not be transmitted from one person to another, the HIV virus can.

For people who have an early diagnosis and effective treatment, most people with HIV will not develop AIDS. It is rare for a pregnant woman living with HIV to transmit the virus to her baby, providing she receives timeline and effective treatment.

Without treatment, the immune system will become severely damaged.

For more information about HIV and AIDS, visit the NHS website here.