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A little more than a decade back, at an India IVF clinic, a milestone was achieved: a baby, born free of the HIV virus, was delivered using IVF. The father, being HIV-positive, and the mother, not carrying the virus, had their dream of starting a family realized, thanks to a state-of-the-art procedure. A special sperm washing technique ensured that the HIV virus did not pass on to their child. It was a beacon of hope, promising a bright future for countless couples affected by HIV.
On this World AIDS Day, we reflect upon that child, that family, and the numerous couples who find solace in assisted reproduction. For those couples, battling HIV while nurturing the dream of parenthood, techniques like sperm washing become the ray of hope. Particularly, for serodiscordant heterosexual couples, where the man is HIV-positive and the woman isn’t, assisted reproduction stands as a guard, ensuring the mother and child remain unaffected by the virus.
Sperm washing is anything but complicated. Within the protected confines of an andrology lab, this technique is meticulously carried out. Safety is paramount; samples containing the virus are maintained in isolation from the rest.
In essence, sperm washing detaches the sperm from the seminal plasma and other potentially HIV-positive cells. Once isolated, the sperm sample undergoes freezing and is subsequently assessed using molecular biology tools, confirming its virus-free status.
Before initiating any reproductive or ovarian stimulation treatments, it’s crucial to ensure that the sperm sample is devoid of any infection.
Read Also: How HIV Positive Men Safely Become Fathers
While artificial insemination post sperm washing is an option, the more prevalent route is intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This IVF technique, undertaken after verifying the sperm’s HIV-free status, involves the direct injection of the sperm into the egg via a pipette.
UNAIDS data reveals that as of 2013, approximately 35 million people globally were living with HIV; 9% of which were children under 15. Annually, over 2 million individuals contract the virus, leading to 1.5 million HIV-induced deaths in 2013. Yet, the expanding reach of antiretroviral therapy over the years has elevated the life quality of HIV patients and reduced the mortality rate.
In the fight against HIV, knowledge is power. With institutions like India IVF Fertility taking the lead, there’s renewed hope. Sperm washing is not just a procedure; it’s a promise — a commitment to a healthier, brighter future.
MBBS (Gold Medalist), DNB (Obst & Gyne), MNAMS, MRCOG (London-UK), Fellow IVF, Fellow MAS, Infertility (IVF) Specialist & Gynae Laparoscopic surgeon,[Ex AIIMS & Sir Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi]. Read more about me
At India IVF Clinics we provide the most comprehensive range of services to cover all the requirements at a Fertility clinic including in-house lab, consultations & treatments.
