PREVENTION & CONTROL OF HIV
Home > PREVENTION & CONTROL OF HIV
Published on
11th December, 2019
Today, more tools than ever are available to prevent HIV. You can use strategies such as abstinence (not having sex), never sharing needles, and using condoms the right way every time you have sex. You may also be able to take advantage of HIV prevention medicines such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). If you have HIV, there are many actions you can take to prevent transmitting HIV to others.
This section answers some of the most common questions about HIV prevention.
Use Condoms the Right Way Every Time You Have Sex
Condoms are highly effective in preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), like gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Use water-based or silicone-based lubricants to help prevent condoms from breaking or slipping during sex.
Take PrEP
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is medicine people at risk for HIV take to prevent HIV.
If taken as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV from sex.
PrEP is much less effective when it is not taken as prescribed.
Decide Not to Have Sex
Not having sex (also known as being abstinent) is a 100% effective way to make sure you won’t get HIV through sex.
You can be abstinent at different times in your life for different reasons that may change over time.
Not having sex also prevents other STDs and pregnancy.
Never Share Needles, Syringes, or Other Drug Injection Equipment
Use new, clean syringes and injection equipment every time you inject.
Many communities have syringe services programs (SSPs) where you can get new needles and syringes and safely dispose of used ones.
Some pharmacies sell needles without a prescription.
Protect others if you have HIV
HIV medicine (called antiretroviral therapy or ART) can reduce the amount of HIV in the blood (called viral load). HIV medicine can make the viral load very low—so low that a test can’t detect it (called an undetectable viral load).
People with HIV who keep an undetectable viral load (or stay virally suppressed) can live long, healthy lives. Viral suppression is defined as having less than 200 copies of HIV per milliliter of blood.
If a person has an undetectable viral load, they have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to an HIV-negative partner through sex.
Having an undetectable viral load also helps prevent transmission to others through sharing needles, syringes, or other injection equipment, and from mother-to-child during pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding.
Most people can get the virus under control within six months.
Taking ART does not prevent transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Engage in the use of CONDOMS
Most condoms are highly effective in preventing HIV and certain other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), like gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Condoms provide less protection against STDs that can be transmitted through sores or cuts on the skin, like human papillomavirus, genital herpes, and syphilis.
Condoms help prevent HIV for higher risk sexual activities like anal or vaginal sex, and for lower risk activities, like oral sex and sharing sex toys.
You can buy condoms at many stores or online, and you can sometimes get them for free from clinics or health departments.
Prevent Mother-to-Child Transmission
Get Tested for HIV As Soon As Possible to Know Your Status
The earlier HIV is diagnosed and treated, the more effectively HIV medicine will prevent transmission to your baby.
If you or your partner engage in behaviors that put you at risk for HIV, get tested again in your third trimester.
You should also encourage your partner to get tested for HIV.
Credit:www.cdc.gov
