What To Do When Condom Breaks To Prevent Hiv

What To Do If The Condom Breaks And You Are Hiv Positive

IT is undeniable that now or then a condom breaks during sex and this could be due to a

number of factors. Some of the reasons the condom might break include it was not put on

properly, it had expired or the way you were engaging in sex caused it to break. But what if

one of you is HIV positive while the other partner is negative and the condom was used to prevent transmission of infections?

PULL OUT METHOD

Many people assume that when a condom breaks during sexual intercourse, you are guaranteed to get infected with HIV. So they just continue having sex and accept that nothing can be done. But there is no actual truth in this. However, if you or your partner pull out, there is a possibility of preventing infection. Often times, we can feel the condom breaking. Pull out immediately, even if it is hard, do it. If you want to continue, get another condom.

GET TESTED

To detect if there was infection or not, it is important to go for HIV testing and explain to the health practitioner what happened. At times, the test will not immediately confirm

transmission due to the window period. So it is important to get tested again after three months.

POST EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS

CAUTION

ITS NOT A TRAIN SMASH

R75 per month

How Do I Prevent My Condom From Breaking

There are some things to avoid if you want to lower the risk of your condom breaking. Here are Dr. Bhuyan’s tips:

Check the expiration date.

Yup, condoms expire, so make sure you are checking the date before you use it. The expiration date is usually printed on the packaging so make a pattern of checking for it every time.

Store your condoms correctly.

You have to worry about how you’re storing your condoms too. “Make sure that they’re stored in a room temperature environment,” Dr. Bhuyan says. That means don’t keep an emergency condom in your car because the heat will pretty much render it useless, and keeping them in a really cold place won’t work either.

Only use one.

You’ve probably heard this before, but I’m going to reiterate it. Don’t wear two condomsâit won’t provide twice the coverage. In actuality, “that friction can increase the risk of breakage,” Dr. Bhuyan says. So you’ll end up doing more harm than good.

Getting Tested For Stis If A Condom Breaks

Condom breakage, whether before or after ejaculation, puts both partners at risk for STIs, according to Pal. This means that you should get tested for STIs no matter what, unless you have been in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship.

Correct and consistent condom use doesn’t completely prevent STIs because the only way to prevent STIs is to avoid sex altogether. However, practicing safe sex, getting tested regularly, and taking prescribed pre-exposure prophylaxis if you’re at risk for HIV exposure, can reduce the risk of getting STIs.

You can also avoid contracting the human papillomavirus , the most common STI, by getting the HPV vaccine.

After condom breakage, you have to wait out a certain window period before getting tested to accurately detect the bacteria or virus. “The most reliable testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia is in two weeks. For syphilis, one week to three months. HIV, Hepatitis B, and C, it can take six weeks to three months,” says Serna.

You might have been exposed to the human immunodeficiency virus as well, so talk to a health professional about post-exposure prophylaxis . You should take it as soon as possible, or within three days, to prevent contracting HIV. If you are at risk of possibly getting exposed to HIV again in the future, you can start taking PrEP to prevent contracting the virus.

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When To Get An Sti Test

For reliable results, wait at least 14 days after suspected exposure.

As a general rule of thumb:

If youve performed oral sex, make sure to request a throat swab during your STI screen.

Also request an anal Pap smear if youve received anal sex.

Oral and anal tests can look for STIs that may be missed during a standard STI screening.

If you receive a positive result, your healthcare provider will discuss your options for treatment and advise you on any next steps.

Broken Condom Now What

Dear Lucy:Worried SickDear Worried:Lucy

Back to Ask LucyInformation contained in Ask Lucy is intended solely for general educational purposes and is not intended as professional medical advice related to individual situations.Always obtain the advice of a qualified healthcare professional if you need medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment. Never disregard medical advice you have received, nor delay getting such advice, because of something you read in this column.

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If You Caught The Break Before A Splooge

If a condom slips or breaks prior to ejaculation, carefully withdraw your member. You can then replace the fallen soldier and get back to business.

Remember, however, that precum the clear liquid secreted from the penis prior to orgasm can also cause pregnancy. So youll still want to take some of the precautions above.

Condoms And Antiretroviral Therapy

HIV is treated with antiretroviral drugs. These are medications that are taken daily to help prevent the virus from replicating and further weakening the immune system.

A large 2016 study looked at HIV transmission risk in 888 heterosexual and 340 MSM couples who were not using condoms. In the study, one partner was HIV-negative, and the other partner had HIV with an undetectable viral load and was taking antiretroviral drugs.

During 2 years of follow-up with 58,000 reported condomless sex acts, no HIV transmission from HIV-positive partners to HIV-negative partners was seen.

This ties into the concept of undetectable = untransmissible . Taking antiretroviral drugs daily as prescribed can reduce viral load to undetectable levels in

A big part of a condoms effectiveness at preventing HIV has to do with using it correctly. Now lets examine how to put on and remove a condom if you have a penis.

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Is A Broken Condom Less Risky If The Person Wearing Hasnt Come Yet

Of course, there isn’t always a full load of semen in a condom when it breaks, and that can dramatically change your risk. For HIV infection, youve got to have a big injection of infected secretions, Brennan tells me. But with HPV, syphilis, and herpes, both the receiver and penetrator have equal risk, and condoms don’t fully protect you.

By the way, if you forego condoms, dont think that the pulling out method will be any type of savior in pregnancy prevention or HIV transmission, because it may require more self-control and trust than you can achieve in the heat of the moment. A second too long of pounding, and good intentions fall to shit. And the sex act doesnt stop at ejaculation, Brennan tells me. It’s really important that the sexual act isn’t just penetration and orgasm. Clean-up is also important. This means making sure the condom didn’t break, and that you or your partner don’t spill any semen when you take it off.

Condom or no condom, practicing good sexual hygiene is crucial. Brennan offers that sage advice that women and men should always follow: Urinate after sex to clean out and open up your urethra, which will help prevent urinary tract infections.

Are Some Types Of Condoms Better At Preventing Hiv

To use condoms to effectively prevent HIV, its important to note the material of the condom. Always use condoms made from latex or a synthetic material like polyurethane.

Since lambskin condoms are more porous than other types of condoms, viruses can pass through. For this reason, they do not prevent HIV.

Additionally, some condoms may come coated with a spermicide, which is a chemical that works to kill sperm. One of the most common spermicides is called nonoxynol-9.

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The Rationale Of The Study

Regrettably, there are few investigations that have paid attention to the assessment of the correlates and prevalence of errors and problems that individuals may encounter when wearing condoms . In this context, errors imply those practices that result in the wrong use of the condom, such as removing during the sexual act or exposing the condom to sharp appliances, while problems are those occurrences that are not straightforwardly within the control of the user, but may reduce the efficacy of its purpose. The issues may include challenges with fit and feel, slippage, breakage and erection difficulties . Notably, neglecting to justify condom use errors and problems can result in false inferences with respect to condom efficacy or appraisal of deterrence initiatives. Besides, the suggested mistakes and problems may not only reduce the effectiveness of condoms in the mitigation of new HIV infections but may also dampen its uptake by causing frustrations or if users experience less pleasurable sex life due to them.

Condom Breakage And Slippage

represents the distribution of responses with regard to condom breakage and slippage. More people reported frequently experiencing condom breakage compared with condom slippage. The sometimes responses of the participants are almost on par when asked how often they experienced condom failure or slippage. More people rarely or never had condom slippage compared to breakage. displays the responses of the participants on condom breakage.

Responses of study participants on condom breakage and slippage.

Meanwhile, 90% of the participants confirmed having experienced condom breakage at some point or the other while working as sex workers, and 85% reported encountering situations of condom slippage. These findings mean that condom failure is a common occurrence in sex work among female sex workers.

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Do Condoms Really Protect Against Hiv

Condoms are, without doubt, the most effective means for preventing human immunodeficiency virus and other sexually transmitted infections , provided they are used in the right manner and during every sexual encounter.

HIV attacks the bodys immune system. About 37,968 people were diagnosed with HIV in the United States and dependent areas in 2018, causing the number of people with HIV to increase to about 1.2 million.

Condoms, both female and male , are advocated as the best protection from HIV. They reduce the risk of HIV transmission by more than 90 percent if used consistently and the instructions are followed. They can be used during vaginal, anal and oral sex.

HIV can be transmitted through blood, semen, rectal and vaginal fluids. An intact latex condom, a polyurethane external condom or a polyurethane internal condom will not allow any of these fluids to pass through, thereby preventing the transmission. Animal skin condoms are not as effective as latex or polyurethane condoms in preventing HIV.

For preventing HIV, not only the use of condoms but also their proper use matters. A few points must be considered when using external condoms for HIV prevention.

If you are using an internal condom:

What To Do If A Condom Breaks

If a condom breaks or slips off during a service:Try to remain calm and stop the service immediately, by carefully withdrawing the customers penis.You may need to look for the broken condom.Is it still on the customers penis, or has it disappeared inside you?

There are 3 things you need to think about:

You may want to follow the advice below depending on the service

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No 2 Having Anal Sex : 1 In 72

The receptive partner is 13 times more likely to be infected with HIV than the insertive partner, according to the CDC. Thats because the virus found in blood, semen, preseminal fluid , and rectal fluids can more easily enter the receptive persons body through the thin lining of the rectum.

• Reduce the risk. If the insertive partner has HIV, using a condom during receptive anal sex can help reduce the risk of transmission by an average of 72 percent, according to the CDC. Water- or silicone-based lubricants can help lessen the chance that the condom will break.

If A Condom Breaks What Are The Chances Of Pregnancy

Again, it depends on the situation! However, theres a risk of pregnancy even if the male partner didnt ejaculate inside the vagina.

If the female partner is using birth control like the pill, the implant, or the coil there shouldnt be a risk of pregnancy. If she isnt using birth control and she hasn’t been through the menopause yet, theres a risk of pregnancy no matter where shes at in her menstrual cycle.

Even if shes having her period or has just finished her period, theres still a risk of pregnancy.

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Should You Consider Preventive Medication

How quickly a person is able to see a healthcare provider after exposure to HIV can significantly affect their chances of contracting the virus.

If you believe youve been exposed to HIV, visit a healthcare provider within 72 hours. You may be offered an antiretroviral treatment called post-exposure prophylaxis that can reduce your risk of contracting HIV. PEP is typically taken once or twice daily for a period of 28 days.

PEP has little or no effect if taken more than

How To Keep A Condom From Breaking

Use these tips to reduce the risk of a torn condom:

• Never use an expired condom or one that has been stored in either hot or cold temperatures .
• Don’t double up on condoms. Wearing two at once creates friction that can cause one of them to break.
• Never use oil-based lubricants, such as Vaseline, and avoid spermicides that contain nonoxynol-9. They can inflame vaginal and rectal tissues. Look for an approved water- or silicone-based lubricant and use lots of it.
• Use properly sized condoms. A condom that’s too big could slip off. One that’s too small is more likely to break.
• Never reuse a condom.

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Come Up With A Game Plan

There are a number of options for how to proceed once you have experienced condom failure. This is a good time to come up with a game plan for what course of action makes sense for you and your body.

Theres tons of great online resources to conduct some basic research! Firstly, youll want to consider whether or not you need emergency contraception , also known as the morning after pill. The great news is: emergency contraception is now available in the United States and Canada over the counter, so you do not need to get a prescription from your doctor.

Not everyone may be at risk of an unplanned pregnancy, but youll also want to think about the risk of STI transmission. The only way to know if you have contracted an STI is through testing, which can be done at a doctors office or a clinic. Make sure you research where you can have an STI screening done in your local area, and whether or not you need an appointment. For this, its recommended to aim to be tested about two weeks after potential exposure.

PEP stands for post-exposure prophylaxis, which is a short course of HIV medicines taken very soon after a possible exposure to HIV to prevent the virus from taking hold in your body. You must start it within 72 hours after a possible exposure to HIV, or it wont work. Every hour counts! Learn more about PEP through the CDC.

Monitor Your Health

Take The Morning After Pill

If youre concerned about pregnancy, you may want to try taking Plan B or another emergency contraceptive pill.

Depending on the pill, you should take these within three to five days after having unprotected sex. That being said, the sooner you take them, the more effective they are.

You can get these over the counter in most pharmacies and drugstores.

Another emergency contraceptive option is the copper IUD. If inserted within five days of having sex, the copper IUD is 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

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A Person Giving Oral Sex Should:

Spit out any semen quickly, or swallow it immediatelydo not let it stay in your mouthRinse and spit using water.Do not brush or floss your teeth for at least one hour after the service.It is important to have a sexual health check up including throat swabs. This should be 14 days after the condom breaks or sooner if you have any symptoms or concerns.

How Do Condoms Help Prevent The Sexual Transmission Of Hiv

Condoms help prevent HIV transmission by reducing the risk of an exposure to HIV during sex.

Laboratory studies show that the materials used to make most condoms do not let HIV pass through them. Condoms act as a barrier to HIV infection by preventing the vagina, penis, rectum and mouth from being exposed to bodily fluids that can contain HIV.

Some condoms are made from a thin membrane of sheep intestine. These natural membrane condoms are also known as lambskin condoms. They can be used to help prevent pregnancy, but they should not be used as an HIV prevention strategy because HIV can pass through them.

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Plan B And Emergency Contraception

What happens if you dont realize your Trojan warrior has broken under pressure until after youve cuddled, ordered takeout, and binged a few episodes of Outer Banks?

Now its time to go to Plan B and we mean literally, Plan B, emergency contraceptive . You can get this hormonal EC pill over-the-counter on an emergency run to your nearest pharmacy. These can be taken up to a few days after an oops and prevent pregnancy.

Plan B does not abort pregnancy, OB/GYN Dr. Heather Irobunda stresses. Its just a higher dose of the same hormones that are found in normal birth control pills.

A copper IUD is also an option. A copper IUD also can be used for emergency contraception for up to 5 days after sex as a preventative, says Irobunda.