There’s one question we get asked more than any other and that’s: Is it possible to sleep or have sex with an HIV-positive person and not be infected? Our answer is yes, and here’s our explanation. First of all, we need to talk about what it means to be intimate with someone. And then we will go over all kinds of different types of sex and methods you can you to prevent infection. Any physical contact with an HIV-positive individual is completely safe, as we all know. You can kiss, hug and do all kinds of other things without ever risking an infection.
Oral sex. Well, we think that this got your attention so let’s move on to the next stage of our answer. There’s little to no risk of getting HIV from oral sex. However, you should know that contact with body fluids like semen, vaginal fluid, or blood increases your chance of infection. At this point, we would like to discuss with you a rather new but highly popular sexual practice known as edging. Edging is a form of sexual stimulation where partners just before they reach the point of ejaculation or orgasm stop whatever they’re doing, let things cool off, and then start again.
Edging is a perfect sexual practice if your partner is HIV-positive and you are not and vice versa. It enables you to experience extremely potent and satisfying sexual intercourse without ever coming into contact with bodily fluids. What happens when you decide to finish your edging session is totally up to you and your partner. Condoms are one solution although we’re certain that you will be quite creative and find the best way to fulfill your sexual desires. This brings us to our next item and those are condoms.
There are classic male condoms (external) and female condoms (internal). Both of them are highly effective at preventing not just HIV but also a huge number of sexually transmitted diseases. It’s also important to learn how to properly use a condom, for which there are numerous resources online. We will list them at the end of this article. Another important addition to condoms is lubricants which can prevent the breaking of the condoms or them from slipping. Do not think that using lubricants is somehow not sexy or that it reflects poorly on either you or your partner. Consider them a welcome addition to your sex life that’s going to help you enjoy your intimate time with your partner even more.
Now it’s time to talk about a revolutionary new medicine you can take if you’re not HIV-positive to prevent transmission. PrEP or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis is highly effective for preventing HIV during sexual intercourse. They come in a form of pills and shots and currently, there are two types available: Truvada® and Descovy®. It’s best that you talk to your doctor about what type is right for you. While we’re talking about medicines that start with the letter P, we should mention PEP or Post-Exposure Prophylaxis.
They are special medicines you take if there’s been possible exposure. For example, if your condom breaks or something like that. If Post-Exposure Prophylaxis are taken within 72 hours after recent possible exposure to HIV, they’re highly effective. Again this is something you should discuss with your doctor before having sex, just to be prepared. Also, PEP is for emergency situations and you should not consider them as a possible solution for having unprotected sex or something like that.
Finally, if the person who’s HIV-positive is actively taking their medication, reducing their viral load, the risk of a possible infection lowers even more. So, as you can see, it is possible to sleep or have sex with someone who’s HIV-positive and not get infected. It is important to keep an open mind and not get bogged down in traditional ideas of what should sex be and how it should play out. There are no rules here and even the slightest touch can send a person into a flurry of highly stimulating sexual feelings. The only thing that’s important is that you and your partner are happy.
And if you take all of these precautions, you can reduce the risk of infection to a minimum. If you want to know more about how you can prevent HIV infection during a sexual intercourse we also highly recommend you talk to your medical professional. You can also look at the resources CDC has prepared on this subject by following this link: HIV Prevention.
