Question
If we are both positive, do we need condoms?
5 February 2012. Related: All topics, HIV reinfection (superinfection), HIV transmission, Living with HIV long-term.
i am HIV positive and on treatment (ARVs). My wife is also positive but not on treatment. We often use condoms, but once in two months we go ‘unprotected’ when we are without condoms. What are risks associated with our ‘unprotected’ sex? It now appears to be a practice to go without condoms at least once in two months.
Answer
Hello,
Thank you for your question.
The main benefit of condoms is to protect against pregnancy and some other STI’s.
So the quick answer is if these are not a concern, it is fine to not use condoms. This is based on what you both prefer.
Actually, many couples say this is one of the few advantages of both being positive.
This is if your viral load in undetectable. If your viral load is detectable though, there is a small risk that your wife could become reinfected with drug resistant HIV.
Does your wife plan to start ART soon? In 2018, ART is recommended for everyone, and if you were both on treatment with undetectable viral load, they would be no risk to either of you.
Drug resistance can happen if you often miss doses of your medication.
There is more information about the risks of reinfection in this guide to HIV testing and risks of sexual transmission.
Note: This answer was updated in February 2018 from a question first posted online in June 2012.
im on arv treatment and my partner is negative.Sometimes we dont use condom what are the risks of him catching the viruse and what are risk for me to be reinfected
Hi Nelly,
If you and you partner are both on meds and if you aren’t having any problems with you meds, then if you choose to have sex without condoms then you can.
Me and my partner are both on treatment, do we need to use condoms?
Hi Amanda,
As your partner is also positive, you are not a risk to him. This is even if his CD4 is higher than yours. Neither would you be a risk to him if he was negative as you are on treatment. As the recent PARTNER study has shown. Please see:
http://i-base.info/htb/30108
Lost of women who are HIV positive have children and their children are born negative. The important thing is to be on treatment, which you are. There is more information about HIV and pregnancy here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
I’m 27 and HIV positive with 307 cd4 count, I’m on treatment. My husband is also positive with 672 cd4 count. is it a risk if I’m thinking of trying for a baby or am I risking my partner’s life?
Hi Vovo, if your viral load is undetectable on treatment, this means your partner is protected from HIV. Treatment has no impact on pregnancy. It doesn’t stop you from getting pregnant or make it more likely.
i am hiv positive on treatment i like to know what happen if i have unprotected sex with ma partner which is not hiv positive would i fall pregnent or ma virus become more risk
Hi Rushenda, I can’t comment on how you became positive or whether your partner also has HIV. If your partner is negative, then until you are on treatment, there is a risk of him catching HIV if you don’t use condoms. After your viral load becomes undetectable on treatment, this risk becomes very low even if you do’nt use condoms.
good day i’ve been infected with hiv for the last 4 months now im in a seeing someone who is probably hiv- but thats what he said and i don’t know where did i get it from, he is very commited to me because i never had any STD’s or other related discharge. we having sex alot and sometimes the condoms break how then we just carry on there are times when we dont use any protection. If he is hiv- what are the changes that he will be infected. my doctor will put on medication soon.
thank you.
Hi Moni, please see the link to question 9 at this page:
http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
You can then decide for yourself based on good and recent evidence if your viral load is undetectable.