Question
Are condoms needed for ‘safe’ sex between HIV positive people?
4 October 2010. Related: All topics, HIV transmission, Resistance.
What should sex between two positive heterosexual partners be like? Are use of condoms really necessary for ‘safe’ sex? What of oral sex, is it ok?
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Answer
Thank you for your question.
If both partners are HIV positive then the main risk involved is if one person has resistance to 1 or more HIV treatments. It is not known whether re-infection itself is an issue. If neither of you have resistance, the only risk is sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Infections with other STIs are possible between positive people if condoms are not worn. If you are infected with the same strain of HIV and neither of you has any resistance to HIV treatments then there should be no problem with you having unprotected sex.
For a more comprehensive answer about condom use between two HIV positive individuals please follow these links to similar questions here and here.
As far as oral sex is concerned, generally oral sex has very low risk of transmitting HIV. The main risk with oral sex is when someone is giving oral sex to a man and has gum or oral hygiene problems at the time. If someone is receiving oral sex or giving oral sex to a woman then there is no risk involved. For more information please follow this link.