Yes, you can. Even when you are HIV positive, you can have sex without worrying about passing HIV to your partner. There are a few ways you can do this.
Condoms
One way to prevent passing on HIV is to use condoms every time you have sex. If you use a condom correctly, it will keep your partner safe from HIV. Learn more about how to use condoms correctly here.
PrEP
Your partner can also protect themselves by using PrEP. PrEP is a daily pill that prevents HIV. You have to take PrEP consistently, the way your healthcare provider instructed you to. But remember, PrEP does not provide protection from other STIs or unplanned pregnancy, so you are encouraged to always use condoms.
Undetectable = Untransmittable
If you take your HIV medication properly, every day, the HIV in your body will reach a point where it can’t be seen any more on a standard test. When this happens, you can protect your sexual partners from HIV because you can’t pass it on to them. We call this viral suppression. The method of taking medication so that you can no longer pass HIV on to others is called Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U). Although having an undetectable viral load is great, don’t forget about STIs and unplanned pregnancy!
Educate yourself
Before you and a partner have sex, you should talk about these options. If you educate yourselves, you can make a good decision about keeping each other safe. Safe sex is the best sex.
Wondering if PrEP is for you? Find out here.
Taking your treatment every day when you are living with HIV is very important. Find out more in this article.
