A woman living with HIV marries a man who is negative. Relatives whisper that she will infect him. If she takes her treatment and keeps her virus down, the science says they are wrong.
WHO says people living with HIV who take antiretroviral treatment and reach an undetectable viral load will not pass HIV to their sexual partners. Even a level that is suppressed but still detectable, below 1,000 copies per millilitre, carries almost zero risk. Campaigners call it U=U: undetectable equals untransmittable.
Two catches. It works only when pills are taken every day and viral load is tested regularly, so ask your clinic for the test. And it does not cover breastfeeding, where mothers still need extra checks and protection for the baby.
Knowing your status is the first step. In Lagos, 4 in 10 people living with HIV do not know it. Read WHO’s HIV fact sheet for more.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
The Health Factor Africa
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