Q and A

Question

I’m new to treatment, can I transmit?

I started treatment two weeks ago. The other day I had sex without a condom, is my partner at risk?

Answer

Thanks for getting in touch.

When someone starts medication it takes between 1-3 months for their viral load to become undetectable. If you’ve just started meds, it’s very unlikely that your viral load will be undetectable. What this means is that they’ll have been a risk of transmission.

If the risk was within the last 72hrs, your partner should seek medical care and ask to be given PEP. This may help prevent them becoming infected.

This noted, it’s actually quit hard to contract HIV.

If you want to ensure that there’s no risk, it’s important that you use condoms, this is until your viral load is under control.

2 comments

  1. Lisa Thorley

    Hi Samie,

    I can’t comment on what the chances are. However, if you were having unprotected sex when his viral load was detectable, then yes they’ll have been a risk. Please see Q1 here: https://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions

  2. Samie

    My boyfriend just told me that he tested positive about two months ago and he’s on medication. We did use protection not immediately though like at first insertion we were without he pulled out to put it on. I tested negative two months back I would like to know what my chances of getting infected and what to do from here? Thanks.

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