Insemination with isolated and virologically tested spermatozoa is a safe way for human immunodeficiency type 1 virus-serodiscordant couples with an infected male partner to have a child.

OBJECTIVE

To enable serodiscordant couples to reproduce while minimizing the risk of infecting the female partner and to demonstrate the feasibility of including these couples in an insemination program.

DESIGN

Prospective follow-up study.

SETTING

Ambulatory IUIs.

PATIENT(S): Fifty-six HIV-1-serodiscordant couples with a male infected partner.

INTERVENTION(S): Sperm cell separation by the gradient density method followed by the swim-up method, virological detection, and IUI after ovarian stimulation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Pregnancy rate, HIV-1 test, and p24 antigenemia in women.

RESULT(S): Two hundred thirteen IUIs were performed, and 37 pregnancies occurred, resulting in 33 births and 2 ongoing pregnancies. Fifty percent of couples have a child. No women were infected.

CONCLUSION(S): Our study demonstrates the efficiency of an IUI program with prepared and virologically tested spermatozoa in serodiscordant couples with an HIV-1-infected male partner, allowing the couples to have children without transmission of the virus to the female partner.