A systemic review and meta-analysis by Zafar M et al in a
forthcoming edition of journal ‘Fertility and Sterility’ evaluated the
effectiveness of semen washing in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–discordant
couples in which the male partner is infected.
Primary outcome: HIV transmission to HIV-uninfected women.
Secondary outcomes: HIV transmission to newborns and proportion of couples achieving a clinical pregnancy.
Conclusion:
- It was seen that No HIV transmission occurred in cycles of assisted reproduction with the use of washed semen.
- Among the subset of HIV-infected men without plasma viral suppression at the time of semenwashing, no HIV seroconversions occurred among after cycles of assisted reproduction with the use of washed semen.
- Studies that measured HIV transmission to infants reported no cases of vertical transmission.
- Overall, 56.3% of couples achieved a clinical pregnancy with the use of washed semen.
- The study results are especially useful in low-income countries, especially those with a large burden of HIV. Integration of semen washing into HIV prevention interventions could help to further reduce the spread of HIV
