Watch new mini-documentary about Toronto’s Positive Pregnancy Program

Toronto’s Dr. Aditi Sivakumar, an award-winning Obstetrics and Gynaecology resident, is releasing a mini-documentary about women living with HIV in Canada. Positive Journeys: Pregnancy, Strength and Living Well with HIV centres voices of women who have navigated pregnancy and misconceptions surrounding HIV. The documentary also follows healthcare professionals working to change the narrative and highlights Toronto’s Positive Pregnancy Program (P3) at St. Michael’s Hospital which has supported more than 400 healthy pregnancies since 2006. A 2021 Canadian study found that HIV-related stigma remains widespread and continues to negatively impact mental health, disclosure and engagement in care for people with HIV. “For too long, stigma—not medicine—has shaped the public perception of HIV and pregnancy,” said Dr. Sivakumar in a press release. Dr. Sivakumar also used her monetary award from her 2025 YWCA Toronto Women of Distinction win to fund the documentary. “I want this film to show what is actually true: that with the right care and support, women living with HIV can have healthy, joyful pregnancies.”After witnessing the impacts of gender-based violence during her undergraduate volunteer work at a local shelter in Ottawa, Dr. Sivakumar was inspired to create My Empowerment Platform, a digital resource supporting women and girls experiencing violence. With this documentary, Dr. Sivakumar is continuing her work in advocacy. “With appropriate medical care and comprehensive support, women living with HIV can have safe pregnancies and give birth to HIV-negative babies,” said Dr. Mark Yudin in a press release. Dr. Yudin is an ob-gyn at St. Michael’s and the co-founder of the P3 program. “P3 demonstrates what is possible when evidence-based medicine is delivered in a compassionate, stigma-free environment.

Watch new mini-documentary about Toronto’s Positive Pregnancy Program

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