Guidance on Couples HIV Testing and Counselling Including Antiretroviral Therapy for Treatment and Prevention in Serodiscordant Couples

These guidelines recommend increasing the offering of HIV testing and counselling (HTC) to couples and partners, with support for mutual disclosure. They also recommend offering antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV prevention in serodiscordant couples. 

There are many potential benefits to supporting couples to test together for HIV infection and to mutually disclose their HIV status—most importantly, that together they can then make informed decisions about HIV prevention and reproductive health, including contraception and conception. These benefits are relevant for all couples, whether they have the same HIV test results (HIV seroconcordant) or have different results (HIV serodiscordant). The findings of many published studies suggest that people who learn their HIV status are more likely to adopt preventive behaviours than people who are unaware of their HIV status.