Thanks to the advances of highly active HIV drugs (HAART), most people with HIV infection lead healthy and normal lives and the disease is managed much like other chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
The Fertility Center of Las Vegas is helping men with HIV safely realize their dream of parenthood. The clinic works with the Bedford Research Foundation in Boston, Massachusetts, which has developed a technique using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to detect the HIV virus in semen. Semen found free of the virus can be then cryopreserved and stored for later use, says Dr. Bruce Shapiro, Founder and Medical Director of The Fertility Center of Las Vegas. The Bedford Foundation’s program, SPAR (Special Program of Assisted Reproduction), was developed to allow men with HIV conceive children with almost zero risk to their partner or their surrogate. The first SPAR baby was born in 1999 and there has never been a transmission of the virus using this technique.
SPAR research has found that the HIV viral titers (blood test) is not always a good indicator of the virus in semen. A certain percentage of men with zero viral titers in their blood will still have very low levels of virus in their semen. The SPAR technique ensures that the sperm specimens are free of the HIV virus to eliminate the risk of transmission.
At The Fertility Center of Las Vegas, advanced fertility treatments are offered in a state-of-the art setting allowing HIV positive individuals or couples to become parents of their very own biological children.
Since 1988, The Fertility Center of Las Vegas has helped thousands of couples and individuals from around the world achieve the family they desire. Together, our reproductive specialists, continue to develop techniques that make IVF safer and more effective than ever before. If you are interested in learning more about this treatment, please contact the clinic at +1 (702) 254-1777 or email family@fertilitycenterlv.com. The Fertility Center of Las Vegas offers complimentary phone or Skype consultations for patients residing outside of Las Vegas, Nevada.
