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Would you be opposed to someone with HIV choosing to have a kid?


This seems to be a controversial subject.

PROS -- These days, antiretroviral medications reduce the risk of prenatal transmission down to only 2%(if proper healthcare and meds are taken). HIV patients can live a lot longer than before, up to 32yrs after contraction. HIV patients would be able to share in the joys of parenthood, continuing their family line, and parenthood is one more thing associated with living a "normal" life.

CONS -- The risk of transmission is 2%, which is still greater than 0. Some people say that HIV+ people having kids is "selfish" because of the risk of transmitting it to their kid, or because they will die young(even if one lives 30yrs after contraction, that means he/she might die before their kid's wedding date or other important moments in the kid's adult life)

What are your thoughts, assuming the person is responsible and takes all the best HIV meds? Bad idea or not such a bad idea?

I understand that someone who is HIV+ will eventually die and leave their child behind, but look at it this way. An HIV+ person lives up to 32yrs after contraction if meds are started soon after. My parent died(non-HIV illness) when I was 14 and when my oldest sibling was 23. If my parent could have forseen the future of dying young, do you think she would have decided not to have kids?...no.

Also -- if someone with HIV decided to have a kid(not by unprotected sex...but by invitro fertilization), would you be angry and unsupportive? Or, would you feel bad but eventually be accepting of that person's decision?

Horrifying idea. It involves unprotected sex with someone who is infected with HIV. It involves a risky gestation, even with new medications and a burden on the health care system. How much would this baby cost? Guess who gets to help pay for it in higher premiums?
Then there is the very real possibility of transmission to the fetus and the parent(s) dying leaving a child behind.
NO. If at all avoidable, and it is... NO.

You may want to also consider what types of problems can come from genetics. If one took a close look at all the problems babies Could be born with, some healthy people may take a second look about having children. Having babies is a game of chance, a mother can do things to improve some of the odds but there will always be a chance that something might be wrong with the baby.
There are babies born everyday with some type of illness or problem or deformity.

I really don't think it's a good idea because there is still a possibility of transmitting it to the child. Why subject your child to the possibility of a lifetime(however long or short) of taking pills just to stay alive. And even though there have been great strides in treating HIV, you are going to die eventually. Because your immune system is compromised, you are more susceptible to any number if illnesses. It's just not fair to bring a child into the world only to possibly lose you because you contracted pneumonia.

My use of the word "you" does not speak to you personally, it's used generally.

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