#FIRSTLOOK: DR. ADITI SIVAKUMAR MINI-DOCUMENTARY “POSITIVE JOURNEYS: PREGNANCY, STRENGTH AND LIVING WELL WITH HIV”

Dr. Aditi Sivakumar, an award-winning Obstetrics and Gynaecology resident and women’s health advocate, is releasing an insightful new mini-documentary spotlighting the resilience of women living with HIV and the ongoing impact of stigma in Canada.

A 2021 Canadian study published in the journal AIDS and Behaviour revealed that HIV-related stigma remains widespread and continues to negatively affect mental health, disclosure, and engagement in care among people living with HIV.

While medical advancements have significantly improved HIV treatment and prevention, stigma continues to shape women’s reproductive experiences and public perception. Positive Journeys: Pregnancy, Strength and Living Well with HIV centers the voices of women who have navigated pregnancy alongside persistent misconceptions and the healthcare professionals working to change that narrative. The film also highlights the work of Toronto’s Positive Pregnancy Program (P3) at St. Michael’s Hospital. Since its founding in 2006, the multidisciplinary program has supported more than 400 healthy pregnancies, including siblings, demonstrating what coordinated, evidence-based care can make possible.

“For too long, stigma — not medicine — has shaped the public perception of HIV and pregnancy,” said Dr. Sivakumar, who 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.”

“Many leaders view an award as a moment for personal celebration – and rightly so,” said Heather McGregor, Chief Executive Officer at YWCA Toronto. “Aditi saw it as an opportunity to do more. Her first instinct was to ask, ‘how can this become bigger than me?’ She turned a personal recognition into a platform that will resonate with women across the country who have never seen their stories told in this way. That type of visions cannot be taught. That is just who she is.”

Dr. Sivakumar noted that after witnessing the devastating effects of gender-based violence through her undergraduate volunteer work at a local domestic violence shelter in Ottawa, she knew she needed to take action. In 2018, she launched My Empowerment Platform, a digital resource supporting women and girls experiencing violence. Dr. Sivakumar is a Governor General’s Award Winner who serves as Board Vice Chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health at the World Health Organization, the youngest person globally to hold the role. Last September, she won the Global Impact Awards at the prestigious Women Empowerment Awards for her contributions to women’s health advocacy.

With this documentary, she channels her advocacy into its most personal and powerful expression yet. “It’s a proud moment for me to lead this campaign and bring visibility to an area that’s often forgotten, even though 2024 data from the World Health Organisation shows over 40.8 million people living with HIV, and over 1.3 million people acquired HIV that same year. This honours the very women whose stories we tell,” added Dr. Sivakumar. “Women’s reproductive autonomy must include women living with HIV. This documentary is about dignity, equity, and ensuring every woman sees what is medically and socially possible.”

The film features Dr. Mark Yudin, Staff OB-GYN at St. Michael’s Hospital, Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Toronto, and co-founder of the P3 Program.

“With appropriate medical care and comprehensive support, women living with HIV can have safe pregnancies and give birth to HIV-negative babies,” said Dr. Yudin. “P3 demonstrates what is possible when evidence-based medicine is delivered in a compassionate, stigma-free environment.

The mini-documentary is available at: [LINK] 

Watch the trailer at: [LINK]