HIV / SPAR
Helping HIV-Positive Intended Parents: Surrogacy and the SPAR Process
If you or your partner are living with HIV, parenthood through surrogacy may still be an option for you. The SPAR program was created to allow HIV+ men to build their families, and with Circle’s partnership and support, we can help you build your family through a process designed to protect your surrogate and baby from HIV transmission.
As a full-service surrogacy agency with more than 30 years of experience supporting intended parents, including those with HIV, we know that many HIV+ intended parents have faced stigma, been told they can’t have biological children safely, or have just discovered options like SPAR. Whether you’re an HIV+ man learning about SPAR or an HIV+ woman considering surrogacy, we’re ready to answer your questions and explore what’s possible with you.
Over the years, I’ve learned to count on the Circle leadership team as mentors in the surrogacy and IVF space…And for me personally, my husband and I grew our family through surrogacy with Circle. And back then, there weren’t that many surrogacy agencies that would not only be open and excited to work with gay men, but to work with HIV positive gay men.
Brian Rosenberg, Founder
Gays With Kids®
What Is SPAR?
The Special Program of Assisted Reproduction (SPAR) is a medical program designed to help HIV+ men and their partners achieve pregnancy without transmitting the virus to the surrogate or the baby itself. The SPAR process is specifically for HIV+ men and combines semen testing and sperm washing. This innovative program was developed by Dr. Ann Kiessling and her colleagues in the 1990s, and it has allowed hundreds of HIV+ men to grow their families through surrogacy.
Circle is proud to have supported over 160 HIV+ intended parents through this program since 2009. SPAR is offered in conjunction with the Bedford Research Foundation Clinical Laboratory, which has helped bring over 500 babies into the world safely across all participating agencies. As of August 2025, there has not been a single instance of HIV being transmitted through SPAR among those using tested semen.
While modern HIV treatments like anti-retroviral therapy (ART) allow many people to maintain undetectable viral loads and prevent transmission, SPAR’s specialized testing and sperm washing provide an additional layer of safety.
Living with HIV doesn't prevent you from having a baby safely through surrogacy.
How Does the SPAR Process Work?
You'll provide two or three semen specimens. According to Bedford Research Foundation, HIV can be found in approximately 15% of semen specimens regardless of viral burden in the blood — which is why every specimen is tested. Each one is divided: part goes to infectious disease testing, and sperm from the remainder is washed and frozen. Only sperm from specimens that test negative for HIV is used for fertility treatment. Specimens are also screened for CMV, and where indicated, for hepatitis B and C, chlamydia, and syphilis. Cleared specimens are shipped to a participating clinic, where the IVF process takes place.
The 4 steps in the SPAR process are:
1. Consultations with intended parent(s) and surrogate.
You and your surrogate will each talk with us about what the SPAR program is, how the program works, and whether there are any risks to your surrogate.
2. Collection of specimens, following FDA protocol.
You’ll visit the Bedford Clinic and leave two or three semen specimens.
3. Semen testing.
Each specimen is split. One part is tested using a PCR assay that detects both free virus in seminal plasma and virus-infected cells. Sperm from the remainder is washed in a centrifuge to separate it from the seminal fluid, then suspended in a new solution and frozen. Only sperm from specimens that test negative is used.
4. Specimen is ready.
Cleared specimens are then shipped to a participating IVF clinic (your own clinic) for fertilization and embryo transfer.
SPAR by the Numbers
1998
The year the SPAR program was established
0
The number of surrogates and babies that have contracted HIV through the SPAR program
500
Number of babies born through SPAR program (as of June 2025)
15%
Semen specimens that test positive for HIV, regardless of viral load in the blood
How Does Circle Find Surrogates for the SPAR Program?
Every woman who applies to become a surrogate with Circle is given information about SPAR. Those who express interest in the program are given the opportunity to speak with an experienced surrogate who has participated in SPAR. All surrogates who join the program will have an individual consultation with Dr. Kiessling to learn about the program in greater detail.
Circle does not charge any additional fees for joining SPAR. However, there are fees associated with the semen testing and sperm washing procedures, and these costs are outside of your surrogacy costs with Circle. SPAR-related expenses are paid to the Bedford Research Foundation.
SPAR costs vary depending on your specific situation and whether you’ll be building your family with a surrogate. According to Bedford Research Foundation, costs range from $8,000 to $16,000 for those working with a surrogate. These costs cover consultations and specimen collection, testing, storage, and shipping. They do not include IVF expenses, which you’ll pay directly to your fertility clinic.
For the most current pricing information, it’s best to contact Bedford Research Foundation at 617-623-7447 or via email at lab@bedfordresearch.org.
Samples are collected and handled at the Bedford Labs in Massachusetts, and then they are shipped to the intended parents’ clinic. So you will travel to MA for the sample collection, but you can use a clinic close to where you live for the IVF process.
As an HIV+ female intended parent, surrogacy is still possible — it’s just a different journey than the one an HIV+ male intended parent will have. There are several options to explore as your path to parenthood. Some HIV+ women use egg donation with a surrogate to become parents. We have an in-house database of thoroughly screened egg donors to make this step even smoother.
If you wish to use your own eggs but are unable to carry a pregnancy, surrogacy may still be the right option for you. ART helps you maintain an undetectable viral load, which prepares you for the egg retrieval process. It’s worth noting that eggs themselves do not contain HIV, but an undetectable viral load is still needed for safe egg retrieval and IVF. Your eggs are then used to create an embryo that would be transferred to your surrogate.
HIV+ intended parents are only matched with surrogates who are already educated on SPAR and comfortable participating in the program. Through our proprietary MatchMade™ process, we match all of our intended parents with surrogates who are genuinely compatible with them, and this includes considering both personal compatibility and medical requirements.
We’ll ask you questions about your preferences, communication style, and what matters most to you, and then search for one of our fully screened surrogates whose approach aligns with yours and who is ready to participate in SPAR. We designed our matching process to support shared understanding between surrogates and intended parents from the start, and help them begin the surrogacy journey with a strong foundation.
FAQs About Surrogacy for HIV-Positive Intended Parents
You may have further questions about the SPAR program or surrogacy options for HIV-positive intended parents. Review our FAQs below to learn more, or read our full list of FAQs about the general surrogacy process from intended parents here.
Ready to Start Your Path to Parenthood?
Surrogacy for HIV-positive couples and individuals is possible, and it’s how many intended parents with HIV pursue parenthood safely. With Circle, a dedicated in-house team walks alongside you, providing support through every step. We've supported over 160 HIV+ intended parents on their path to parenthood, and nearly half of our team have been surrogates, egg donors, or intended parents, or have grown their families through surrogacy, IVF, or adoption. We personally understand what the surrogacy journey looks and feels like.
If you’re ready to start building your family, the first step is simple. Fill out Circle’s inquiry form, and we’ll be in touch to answer your questions and learn more about your vision for becoming a parent.