Having children for couples who are HIV+ was like signing a death sentence to the child that was born to the couple. There is now the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMCT) which is able to reduce the chances of the HIV to the unborn baby, therefore making it possible for HIV+ couples to have an HIV- baby. There are now those who strongly say that HIV+ couples should not even think of having children. The reason they give is that these children who are born from these couples will be HIV- but their parents will not live enough to see them grow. Since they are orphaned, they will find it very difficult to make ends meet and as a survival strategy, they will result to risky sexual behaviour which will make them very vulnerable to HIV infection.

To this argument, I say NO! With the advent of ARVs, an HIV+ person can live as long as any one who is not HIV+ if they have access to PMTCT services, ARVs and formula feeds, adequate & clean water supply and support from family and friends.