How To Use Condoms If You Have A Vagina
Condoms are also available for people with a vagina. These products are often called internal condoms or female condoms.
Studies have suggested that internal condoms have a similar effectiveness to external condoms. However, so far, no studies directly compare the effectiveness of external and internal condoms.
Lets examine how to use internal condoms.
Prep: Hiv Prevention With Truvada Or Descovy
In July 2012 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Truvada, an antiretroviral medication to prevent HIV infection in certain high-risk individuals. Truvada is a combination of two drugs and can be used in high-risk HIV-negative persons to lower their risk of infection. The medication works by preventing the virus from making copies of itself. Truvada is expected to become generically available in September 2020.
In October 2019, the FDA approved Descovy as the second drug for PrEP. Descovy is used in at-risk, HIV-1 negative adults and adolescents weighing at least 35 kg to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 infection, excluding individuals at risk from receptive vaginal sex. In studies, Descovy was as effective as Truvada in HIV-1 prevention, but advantages were observed with regard to renal and bone laboratory secondary endpoints.
With oral PrEP, you must take the medication daily. It’s important not to miss any doses to help prevent resistance to these medications. It is used in combination with safer sex practices such as use of a condom. It can lower your risk of contracting HIV from sex by up to 99%, if taken correctly. However, you must be HIV-1 negative to start PrEP everyone is screened for HIV-1 infection before initiating PrEP. Regular tests for HIV status are required with PrEP.
Set Expectations And Discuss Boundaries
Not to be a total killjoy, but if you havent already had the where is this going talk, nows the time to do it.
Set boundaries and expectations based on your situation.
While some recommend that bareback sex be reserved for people in monogamous relationships, that may not be the type of relationship thats right for you.
If it is and youre both committed to not engaging in barrier-free sex acts with anyone else, cool.
If sex with other partners is on the table, committing to barrier use with other partners is the safest way to go bareback with each other.
Once youve nailed your sexpectations, its time to talk STI testing. Yes, even if youre monogamous.
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Take Prep For Hiv Prevention
PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a tablet taken daily that can effectively prevent HIV infections, even in the absence of using protection like condoms during sex. This FDA-approved HIV prevention method is made up of two antiretrovirals and is intended for people at high risk for getting HIV. When taking PrEP, itâs important to undergo regular HIV testingâgenerally around every 3 monthsâwhich you can do easily from the privacy of home with the Everlywell HIV Test kit.
Table 1 Reported Rates Of Condom Use At Last Sex With A Higher Risk Partner And With A Sex Worker
| Country | |
|---|---|
| 82 | 90 |
Note: Higher risk sex refers to sex with a non-marital, non-cohabiting partner. Blank cells represent missing data.
Data accessed on May 24, 2017 through the StatCompiler tool available from the Demographic and Health Survey project at .
In all low- and middle-income countries about 16 billion condoms are used annually with about 7.5 billion used primarily for HIV prevention1. Since these figures are based on self-reports of condom use, they may over-state actual use. However, it is clear that large numbers of condoms have been procured and/or distributed with the intention of helping users prevent HIV transmission.
Studies have shown condoms to be highly effective against HIV3, other sexually transmitted infections4 and unintended pregnancy5. Consistent use is required to maximize an individuals protection. However, even inconsistent use will provide some benefit that can be large at a population-level6.
Across all DHS surveys about three-fifths of people report purchasing commercial brands of condoms at pharmacies and other shops, while about one-fifth report getting condoms from public sources and another one-fifth report obtaining condoms through social marketing programs at subsidized prices. Thus, international donor and national government funding for condom purchase, distribution and promotion plays a large role in supporting the widespread use of condoms.
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Is There A 100% Effective Way To Prevent Sexual Transmission Of Hiv And Stds
The only 100% effective way to prevent sexual transmission of HIV and STDs is through abstinence – avoiding all vaginal, anal and oral sex. Using a latex male condom or a female condom can greatly reduce, but not entirely eliminate, the risk of HIV and STD transmission. Abstinence is the only method to completely eliminate the possibility of sexual transmission of HIV or STDs.
Will Prep Interfere With Hormone Therapy
If youre on gender-affirming hormone therapy, you may be worried about whether and how PrEP will interfere.
Trans women have been reported to have lower levels of PrEP in their bloodstream than other people, Dr. Hekman says, but theres not yet enough research to say why. And because the transgender population is at high risk for HIV, its important to work with a doctor who can ensure that you can remain on hormone therapy and guard yourself against HIV.
We know that when trans women are under medical care, doctors can monitor their levels of both HIV control and hormones, Dr. Hekman explains. We can adjust doses to make sure that they achieve appropriate levels of gender-affirming hormone therapy while also remaining protected from HIV.
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No 5 Having Vaginal Sex : 1 In 2500
A woman who is HIV positive can transmit the virus to her male partner through vaginal fluid and blood, which may pass through the urethra , the foreskin , or any open sores on the penis.
- Reduce the risk. Using a condom and water- or silicone-based lubricants, which can help lessen the chance that condoms will break or slip can help reduce a mans risk of getting HIV from an HIV-positive partner. Female condoms, which are made of a synthetic latex called nitrile and fit into the vagina during sex, are as protective as male condoms.
How Soon Can Hiv Be Detected By A Blood Test
The window period refers to the time between when a person is first exposed to HIV and when it will show up on different types of HIV tests.
The window period can last anywhere from 10 days to 3 months, depending on your bodys immune response and the type of test that youre taking.
During the window period, a person may test HIV-negative even though theyve contracted HIV.
A person can still transmit HIV to others during this period. In fact, transmission may even be more likely because there are higher levels of the virus in a persons body during the window period.
Here is a quick breakdown of different types of HIV tests and the window period for each.
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How Well Does Prep Work
PrEP is very effective when you take it every day. It reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by more than 90%. In people who inject drugs, it reduces the risk of HIV by more than 70%. PrEP is much less effective if you do not take it consistently.
PrEP does not protect against other STDs, so you should still use latex condoms every time you have sex. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.
You must have an HIV test every 3 months while taking PrEP, so you’ll have regular follow-up visits with your health care provider. If you are having trouble taking PrEP every day or if you want to stop taking PrEP, talk to your health care provider.
Do Sex Partners Who Both Have Hiv Need To Use Condoms
Yes. People who have HIV still need protection from STDs and may want to prevent pregnancy. Condoms also protect against exposure to different types, or strains, of HIV. Re-infection or superinfection with a new strain of HIV may make the disease progress more quickly and may require the use of medicines different from the ones used to treat the original strain.
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What Unique Challenges Do Women Face In Preventing Hiv
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some prevention challenges are unique to women:2
- Women can pass HIV to their babies during pregnancy and birth and through breastfeeding.
- A woman’s anatomy makes it easier to get HIV through sex compared with a man’s anatomy.
- Having a sexually transmitted infection raises a woman’s risk for HIV more than a man’s.
- Women are more likely to lack control in relationships and fear violence, stigma, or abandonment when trying to prevent HIV exposure.
- Women are more likely to be victims of sexual abuse. People with a history of sexual abuse are more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors like exchanging sex for drugs, having multiple partners, or having sex with a partner who is physically abusive when asked to use a condom.
What Is Life Expectancy With Hiv
You can now live a near normal lifespan with HIV due to advanced medical treatments. In fact, over one million people are living with HIV in the United States. Taking a combination of medications to treat HIV, called antiretroviral therapy , is recommended for all people with HIV. If you have been diagnosed with HIV, you should start medical treatment as soon as possible to maintain a low viral load.
Life expectancy of HIV without treatment, meaning people who do not receive ART and progress to AIDS, typically survive about three years. Without medical treatment, serious and life-threatening opportunistic infections can occur. Once you have an opportunistic illness, life-expectancy without HIV treatment falls to about one year.
Examples of opportunistic infections and other complications common in AIDS patients are:
- Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
- Fungal infections of the respiratory tract
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What Is Pep And How Does It Prevent Hiv
PEP stands for post-exposure prophylaxis. Its a series of pills you start taking after youve been exposed to HIV that lowers your chances of getting HIV. You have to start PEP within 72 hours , after you were exposed to HIV for it to work. The sooner you start it, the better. Every hour counts, so if you think you were exposed to HIV, call your nurse or doctor or go to the emergency room right away. PEP is only for emergencies it doesnt take the place of using condoms or PrEP. Read more about PEP.
Hiv In Preseminal Fluid
HIV is passed in body fluids such as blood, semen, breast milk, vaginal fluids, and anal secretions. During anal or vaginal sex, a person with HIV can infect their partner by ejaculating into the rectum or vagina.
Transmission can also occur in the opposite directionfrom the receptive partner to the insertive partnerbut this is less common since not as much body fluid is exchanged.
In fact, among couples who engage in vaginal sex, the risk of becoming infected with HIV is twice as high for the female partner compared to the male partner.
Given these facts, it may seem reasonable to assume that pulling out reduces the risk of HIV and that less semen = less risk. But it’s not quite as simple as that.
This is because semen is not only composed of sperm but also fluids that transport sperm. When these fluids leak out before ejaculation, they are referred to as preseminal fluid .
In people with HIV, preseminal fluid is just as potentially infectious as semen. Although the volume of fluid may differ, ounce for ounce they contain roughly the same concentration of HIV. Even if the insertive partner pulls out before ejaculation, the receptive partner can still be exposed to HIV through preseminal fluids.
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No 4 Having Vaginal Sex : 1 In 1250
Most women who get HIV are infected through vaginal sex. In such cases, an HIV-positive man transmits the virus to his female partner through preseminal fluid or ejaculate, which allows HIV to pass through the linings of the vagina and cervix.
- Reduce the risk. In theory, withdrawal practiced as a safety measure may help reduce a womans risk of contracting HIV from an HIV-positive partner, but because the virus can be found in preseminal fluids, the method may not be effective. Using condoms, however, can help lower the odds of transmitting HIV by 80 percent or more, according to the World Health Organization.
Condoms Are Made From Different Materials
Its possible to purchase condoms made from a variety of different materials, including latex and synthetic materials, like polyurethane and polyisoprene.
Lambskin condoms are more porous than other types of condoms. This allows germs, particularly viruses, to pass through the condom. Because of this, theyre not effective at preventing HIV and many other STIs.
Its estimated that about of the worldwide population is allergic to latex. People with a latex allergy can use condoms made of synthetic material to prevent having an allergic reaction while protecting against HIV transmission.
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When Should I Start Pep And How Long Do I Need To Take It
PEP must be started within 72 hours after a possible exposure to HIV. The sooner you start it, the better every hour counts.
You need to take the PEP medicines every day for 28 days. You will have to see your health care provider at certain times during and after taking the PEP, so you can have an HIV screening test and other testing.
Types Of Condomless Sex And Risk Of Hiv
During condomless sex, HIV in the bodily fluids of one person may be transmitted to the body of another person through the mucous membranes of the penis, vagina, and anus. In very rare cases, HIV could potentially be transmitted through a cut or sore in the mouth during oral sex.
Out of all types of condomless sex, HIV can most easily be transmitted during anal sex. This is because the lining of the anus is delicate and prone to damage, which may provide entry points for HIV.
Receptive anal sex, often called bottoming, poses more risk for contracting HIV than insertive anal sex, or topping.
HIV can also be transmitted during vaginal sex without a condom, although the vaginal lining is not as susceptible to rips and tears as the anus.
The risk of acquiring HIV from oral sex without using a condom or dental dam is very low. It would be possible for HIV to be transmitted if the person giving oral sex has mouth sores or bleeding gums, or if the person receiving oral sex has recently contracted HIV.
In addition to HIV, anal, vaginal, or oral sex without a condom or dental dam can also lead to transmission of other STIs.
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Can I Take Medicine To Prevent Getting Or Passing Hiv
Yes. Several medicines are available to help lower your risk of getting or passing HIV:
Pre-exposure prophylaxis
PrEP is an HIV prevention method for people who do not have HIV infection but who may be at high risk. PrEP is a pill you take by mouth every day.
Talk to your doctor about PrEP if:
- You are HIV-negative but your partner is HIV-positive
- You are not in a monogamous relationship and you do not always use condoms
- You inject illegal drugs or share needles
- You have a partner who is HIV-positive, and you want to get pregnant. PrEP may help protect you and your baby.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that PrEP could prevent transmission in as many as 140,000 serodiscordant heterosexual couples.4Learn more about PrEP.
Post-exposure prophylaxis
PEP is an anti-HIV medicine for people who may have been very recently exposed to HIV.5 If you think you have been exposed , or if you were sexually assaulted, talk to your doctor or nurse about taking PEP.
You must take PEP within three days of exposure to help lower your risk for HIV. You then take two to three antiretroviral medicines for 28 days to prevent the virus from copying itself and spreading through your body.
While taking PEP, you still need to take steps to prevent HIV, including using a condom with sex partners. Learn more about PEP.
Antiretroviral medicines
Harm Reduction And Social Strategies
Harm reduction is defined as “policies, programmes and practices that aim to minimise negative health, social and legal impacts associated with drug use, drug policies and drug laws”. The World Health Organization recognizes that harm reduction is central to the prevention of HIV amongst people who inject drugs and their sexual and drug using partners. Social strategies do not require any drug or object to be effective, but rather require persons to change their behaviors to gain protection from HIV. Some social strategies include:
Each of these strategies has widely differing levels of efficacy, social acceptance, and acceptance in the medical and scientific communities.
Populations who access HIV testing are less likely to engage in behaviors with high risk of contracting HIV, so HIV testing is almost always a part of any strategy to encourage people to change their behaviors to become less likely to contract HIV. Over 60 countries impose some form of travel restriction, either for short or long-term stays, for people infected with HIV.
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