Q and A

Question

Can I have sex with someone who is positive and not catch HIV?

16 January 2018. Related: All topics, HIV transmission.

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

Yes, there are lots of ways to make sure HIV is not transmitted during sex.

  1. One of the easiest and most effective ways is just for the HIV positive partner to be on treatment. An undetectable viral load makes HIV untransmittable. (See: The evidence for U=U).
  2. Another relatively recent option is for the negative partner to use PrEP. This is an oral drug that when taken as prescribed is highly effective. (See: UK guide to PrEP).
  3. You can use condoms which are an effective barrier against HIV (and other STIs). Condoms need to be used carefully, preferably with plenty of lube. (See: How to use a condom (male and female).

HIV is a much less infectious virus than many other sexually transmitted infections (STI’s).

Even without a condom, the risk from a single exposure is less than, for example, 1 in 300. The actual risk becoming infected varies depending on many factors. These include the type of exposure, whether the other person is HIV positive, how high or low their viral load is, the duration and roughness of the sex etc.

If the partner is HIV positive, then viral load is the most important factor. The PARTNER study reported zero HIV transmissions after 900 couples had sex more than 58,000 times WITHOUT condoms. In this study undetectable viral load was defined as being less than 200 copies/mL.
https://i-base.info/qa-on-the-partner-study

Risk factors for penetrative sex without a condom with someone who has a very high viral load could be as high as 1 in 10 (10% risk). But the risk is effectively zero with someone who is taking treatment and who has an undetectable viral load.

This question was updated in January 2018 and November 2016 from an original answer posted in June 2007. i-Base no longer answers individual questions about HIV transmission and risk. (See: Question 1 at this link).

209 comments

  1. Jaym •

    What are the symptoms of HIV.

  2. Roy Trevelion •

    Sorry, but we no longer answer questions about transmission and testing. This information service is for people who are HIV positive and about HIV treatment.

    Most questions about transmission and testing have been answered here:
    http://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing

  3. zama •

    I have sex another person, this man are HIV. I don’t know what can I do because I am afraid now. plz help me

  4. Simon Collins •

    A single risk is usually very low, but there is al lot more infomraiton here:
    http://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing

  5. Oscar •

    I have sex with a person who have a HIV and aids and I don’t know what can I do right now

  6. Simon Collins •

    The risk from one time is usually low – please see this link for more infomration:
    http://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing

  7. Amit •

    Yeterday I have sex with sex worker and my condom broke down I but I know it afer. So I am very tense.

  8. Roy Trevelion •

    Hi Brenda,

    Yes, many sero-different couples (where one partner is positive and the other is negative), have had healthy HIV negative babies. And you can have sex to have a baby without getting HIV from your husband. But your husband should be on HIV treatment (ART) to make sure HIV is undetectable.

    You can find out more from these previously asked questions about having a baby:
    http://i-base.info/qa/faqs-on-having-a-baby

    You can find out more about HIV, women’s health and pregnancy here:
    http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy

  9. brenda •

    My husband is HIV and I’m negative. Can we have children who are not infected? How can we have sex without any risk of infection?

  10. Roy Trevelion •

    Please see the FAQ testing page:
    http://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing