Question
Does unprotected sex affect CD4 count?
13 March 2012. Related: All topics, Resistance, Starting treatment.
Both my partner and I are positive.
I recently did my blood test and my CD4 count has dropped from 515 to 112 in a year. I was informed that I had to start medication.
He is not on meds as yet. We try our best to practice safe sex. But can this cause me to become resistant or continue lowering my CD4
Please assist.
Answer
Thank you for your question.
I am sorry your CD4 count has dropped so quickly fast. The good news in that, your CD4 will increase back to where is was, or higher in some cases, once you start treatment. You may find it useful to read our guide An introduction to combination therapy. The guide explains how treatment works, in more detail.
It is good that you do your best to use protection when you have sex. Unprotected sex will not affect your CD4 count. There is a small chance of resistance. However, this is only an issue if you have a different strain of HIV from your partner. If both of you have the same strain then the main risk of having unprotected sex would be STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections).
Although HIV positive people can be re-infected with a different type of HIV, the risk of this is probably lower than the risk of catching HIV when you are HIV negative.
On another note, can I ask if both you and your partner are in contact with support groups for positive people? Many find it helpful to share experiences and ways of coping with living with HIV.
You did not specify where you live. However, if you did want to make contact with support groups, your doctor will be able to refer you to one in your area.
Hi 39 years old my question is ok to have sex without if I am hiv positive?
Hi Karabo,
It’s very common for someone to still be negative even if they have not been using condoms with someone who is HIV positive. Please see this Q&A.
Here’s a guide to HIV treatment (ART). Starting ART and getting your viral load result to undetectable for several months means you can stop using condoms if you want to. Please see undetectable = untransmittable here.
Hey I’m Karabo and I found out a week back that I’m HIV positive and my cd4 count is 511 and my partner is negative how will this whole thing affect our sex life cz we haven’t been using any protection
Hi Kim,
You having unprotectve sex won’t have any impact on your CD4 count, nor your viral load. This is because your HIV is being controlled due to you being on meds. You may want to read Q’s 9 and 14 here:
http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
Iam hiv positive and my partner is not am on meds and we have not been using protection for almost two years he tested and happened to be hiv negative.i wanted to know, will having unprotected sex mess with my hiv status? Will ot decrease my cd4 count or viral load or something?
Hi Nothando,
If a baby is going to contract HIV its from their mother, not from their mother having unprotected sex with their partner. As you’re pregnant you may find this helpful: http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I am 5 months pregnant and started treatment last month my viralload was 264.Me and my partner we have unprotected sex will it affect the baby??
Hi Ayanda,
Reinfection isn’t actually very common. Also if you have the same strand then its simply not possible.
hi if I’m on treatment and my partner is not how is the risk of being re infected?
Hi Mpho,
You probably started HIV treatment (ART) when you found out you were pregnant. So if your viral load on ART is undetectable you cannot transmit HIV. Even if you dont use condoms. Being undetectable means a viral load result below 50 copies. How is your ART going?