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Social media influencer Gena Tew has addressed questions over whether she will be able to have children following her AIDS diagnosis.
The 27-year-old model has been documenting her experiences with her condition in a series of social media posts since revealing her illness in March.
Earlier this week, the social media star took to TikTok, where she has more than 680,000 followers, to answer questions on how her health journey has affected her ability to conceive a child in the future.
"So, a lot of you have been asking me can I still have kids," Tew started the video, which can be viewed at the top of this article. "So, I haven't had a period for over a year, and I was actually worried about that myself. But my body is getting better.
"And guess who started to have a girl's time of month again?" Tew continued. "So that's kind of good news, because you can't have a baby if you can't have a period. So, I got it! I'm not excited, but I'm excited to know that my body is getting so much better. So, I hope that answers your question."
"You can have periods and not be able to conceive," commented one of Tew's followers in response to the video. "Just wanted to clear that up."
"Oh I know!!" Tew responded. "But I've been pregnant before twice but it [stopped] due to my illness."
Elsewhere in her message exchanges with her followers, Tew commented that her viral load had dipped to a point of undetectability.
Dr. Laura Guay, vice president of research at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, told Newsweek that it is possible for those living with HIV to give birth without transmitting the virus if certain precautions are taken.
"A woman living with HIV can give birth to an HIV-free baby," Guay said. "The most important thing that she can do is to work with an HIV health care provider as early as possible (ideally before getting pregnant) to minimize her risk of passing on the infection to her baby.
"Taking safe and effective anti-HIV medications throughout the pregnancy and the period following childbirth to decrease the amount of virus in her blood, avoiding breastfeeding, and ensuring that the newborn baby also receives anti-HIV medication offers the best chance of having a negative baby."
Tew has documented the improvement in her health over the past several months via her TikTok posts. An earlier video showed her struggling to get up from her bed after her weight had plummeted and muscle atrophy had weakened her legs. The clip, which was shared on June 11, has been watched more than 12 million times.
In late September, Tew shared a video clip of herself taking steps with the aid of a walking frame. Tew told her followers that they were her first steps in a year.
Back in August, Tew said she had undergone eye surgery, after her illness caused significant sight loss.
On one of her posts, Tew used the hashtag "#CMV" in reference to cytomegalovirus retinitis, an ocular complication for people living with AIDS.
Although there is no cure for AIDS or for HIV, the virus that causes it, medications can control the infection and greatly slow its progression.
"Thanks to these life-saving treatments, most people with HIV in the U.S. today don't develop AIDS. Untreated, HIV typically turns into AIDS in about eight to 10 years," Mayo Clinic states.
About the writer
Ryan Smith is a Newsweek Senior Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more