Question

I am taking PEP, can I have uprotected sex?

14 February 2012. Related: All topics, PEP/PEPSE.

I’ve been taking lamzid for 5 days now and I want to find out how this will
affect my pregnant partner when we have unprotected sex?

I am taking lamzid because I slept with someone without a condom and I felt
very unsafe so I went to the doctor within 72 hours and he prescribed lamzid for me.

My pregnant partner is only 7weeks pregnant will this harm our baby?

Answer

Answer: Angelina Namiba

There is no data on whether PEP can harm the unborn baby. However, unprotected sex whilst you are taking PEP is not recommended. This is because you don’t know your status and you could infect your partner. That is why it is important to wait until you finish the course and have done the follow-up confirmatory test.

For more information on PEP this link:
https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/pep-faq

Best wishes

481 comments

  1. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Arthur, yes this will still be effective. As the first dose is a double dose, there will be enough PrEP in your body to account for being 2 hours late. Continue taking PrEP at the time you took your initial dose.

  2. Arthur •

    Hi it’s Arthur again …I was on demand prep after taking the first 2 pills before sex I took the next pill 26hrs after the first 2 pills is it still effective ?

  3. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Harry, yes it is. As long as you take the 2 following 2 days dose after your last sexual encounter, it will be effective.

  4. Harry •

    Okay …is on demand prep effective when having different sexual partners at once while using 2-1-1

  5. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Arthur, using on-demand PrEP you need to continue with two days of PrEP after your last sexual encounter. So in this case having two further pills from the third time you had sex would be correct.

  6. Arthur •

    Okay doc…if you are on demand prep and you have sex for two extra days in a row is it going to be 2-1-1-1-1?

  7. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Unarine, the risk to your partner is minimal. While you are on PEP you do not know your status. This means there could be some risk of transmission. PEP will be able to reduce this risk by suppressing any viral load that could be present. As this is a very low risk your partner does NOT need to be taking PEP. While on PEP it is advised to either avoid sex or to use a condom until you can confirm your status.

  8. Unarine •

    Hi Dr i have been on PEP for 11 days and i made a mistake and have sex with my partner and she is negative, is she protected or i must ask her to take pep?

  9. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Mike, the risk to your partner is minimal. While you are on PEP you do not know your status. This means there could be some risk of transmission. PEP will be able to reduce this risk by suppressing any viral load that could be present. As this is a very low risk your partner does NOT need to be taking PEP. While on PEP it is advised to either avoid sex or to use a condom until you can confirm your status.

  10. Mike •

    Hi doc,
    i have been at 14 th day of pep.
    Then i had an unprotected sex with my partner who is hiv –
    Can i have infected her and should she also take pep?