When you are sexually active there are multiple ways to reduce your risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We broadly refer to these ways of reducing risk as ‘risk reduction strategies’ – which include using condoms for anal and vaginal sex, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), undetectable viral load (sometimes called ‘Treatment as Prevention’ or TasP), monogamy, ‘sero-sorting’, and more.
5 Things to Know:
1. Common body fluids that can transmit HIV include cum, pre-cum, rectal secretions, vaginal secretions and blood.
2. STIs often show no signs and can be easily spread by anal, oral and many types of foreplay.
3. Having STIs will increase your risk of acquiring HIV. This is because STIs can cause sores or inflammation which allows HIV to enter into your body.
4. HIV positive people who maintain an undetectable viral load are very unlikely to be able to transmit the infection during sex.
5. Sex is normal, natural and fun, but all sex carries some level of risk, so it’s important to test for HIV and STIs at least once a year.
Want to know more?
Check out the Risk Reduction Strategies Fact Sheet
