Q and A

Question

A condom burst with my positive girlfriend. Will I have HIV now?

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

I had sex with my girlfriend and the condom burst while i was inside her. She sent me an SMS a week later and told me she is HIV positive. I didn’t ejaculate inside her. I want to know if there is any chance i did not get infected?

Answer

Answer: Robin Jakob

Hi

Thanks for your question – and the quick answer is that you are much more likely to still be negative. Catching HIV from one broken condom is a very low risk.

The risk of transmission is also lower if your girlfriend is on treatment. She should also have had something called a viral load test. Someones viral load tells you how much virus is in their bloodstreat. The lower this is the lower the risk of transmission is.

If your partner is not on treatment the risk of transmission is about 1 in 500.

If she is on treatment and has an undetectable viral load the risk becomes zero. This is because when viral load is this low, transmission doesn’t occur.

All of this means that you are more likely to be negative than positive.

Taking a test is still a good idea as a routine part of your own sexual health check up.

You can find more information about HIV transmission here.

The answer to Q9 at this link have more information about the need for condoms when viral load is undetectable.
https://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions

71 comments

  1. Lisa Thorley •

    Hi Freddie,

    Please see question one here:

    http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions

  2. Freddie •

    The condom got torn while playing sex and I immediately realized it. I withdrew. Am scared even fearing to test. Is there any possibility of being negative.

  3. Lisa Thorley •

    Hi Erick,

    If your partner is on ARVs and is undetectable, the risks of transmission are close to zero. Please see the results from the PARTNER study.

    http://i-base.info/qa-on-the-partner-study/

    If she isn’t then yes you may be at risk. However, its actaully quit hard to contract HIV. If you are worried, you will need to test.

  4. Erick •

    Hi I was having sex with my hiv partner and I think she pulled it out, I was careful but when we busy she told me why it feels good and I immediately stopped, will I be infected

  5. Simon Collins •

    Hi Lala, HIV is difficult to catch form one exposure. Is your partner on treatment? If yes, the risk is likely to be zero. The negative test is good, but it is worth sconfirming again in a month or two. Please see questions 1, 5 and 9 at this link:
    http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions

  6. lala •

    HY had sex wit my partner wos positive we used a condom the condom broke he saw it and pulled out he didn’t come after 12 day I went to test and I was negative must I be worried

  7. Lisa Thorley •

    Hi Nana,

    Please see question one here:

    http://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions

  8. Nana fiifi •

    how many days after sexual intercourse can you test for HIV,weather u have been infected or not

  9. Simon Collins •

    Hi Samke, i-Base can only advice on HIV-related questions rather than pregnancy. The chance of pregnancy sounds low but please speak to your doctor.

  10. samke •

    Goodmorning pls help condom bursts while we were making love BT he told me n change d condom immediately, should I worry of getting pregnant? he didn’t ejaculate inside me we changed condom n proceed wit our luv