HIV-serodiscordant couples seeking assisted reproduction

Background Increasingly, couples where the male partner is HIV-infected but the female partner is not are expressing a desire for children. Assisted r eproduction techniques, with washing of the sperm to minimize the HIV viral load, is seen as a way to reduce the risk of acquisition of infection for the woman. Such techniques are now available at selected obstetric clinics, but little is known about the characteristics of the couples coming to the se clinics for advice and support. Objective To describe the characteristics of a cohort of HIV-discordant cou ples seeking reproductive assistance in a referral clinic in Barcelona, Spa in. Methods Demographic, social and HIV-related information was collected p rospectively according to a standard protocol. questionnaires were administ ered at the first visit, and every couple was fully assessed. Results Between April 1994 and February 1999, 140 couples contacted the cli nic for reproductive advice, 100 couples were fully assessed and were offer ed reproductive assistance. Most of these were white, with a history of inj ecting drug use. HIV infection had been diagnosed more than 5 years prior t o the first visit in 62% of the men, and 10% were diagnosed prior to 1986. The characteristics of these couples were similar to those of a cohort of H IV-infected women who received antenatal care in the same clinic.