Properly used male and female condoms are highly effective at preventing pregnancy, as well as the transmission of HIV and most sexually transmitted infections.

Several anti-HIV drugs and antibiotics interfere with the way some hormonal contraceptives work, and the contraceptive may not be as effective as usual. You should ask your healthcare team about your options if you are considering a hormonal contraceptive. You can also read more about this in the NAM booklet HIV & women.

If you are HIV-positive and thinking of becoming pregnant, or are pregnant and diagnosed with HIV, it is very important to discuss your options with members of your healthcare team.

HIV can be transmitted from an HIV-positive woman to her baby. However, with effective HIV treatment and care, the risk of this happening is very low. The likelihood of an HIV-positive woman giving birth to an HIV-negative baby is greatly increased by:

• Taking HIV drugs during the pregnancy and achieving an undetectable viral load.
• Having a managed delivery. This means either having a planned caesarean section or, if you have an undetectable viral load, having a vaginal delivery under close medical supervision.
• Choosing not to breastfeed.

The booklet HIV and women in this information series covers these issues in more detail, and also provides information on ways of conceiving safely if one or both partners are HIV-positive.