Sexual Risks for HIV
The most common cause of HIV infection in the UK is through sexual contact with an infected person. HIV does not discriminate between gender or sexuality. If you engage in
any kind of unprotected sex, you may be at risk from HIV.
"Sex" Can mean different things to different people and of course the best
method of sexual HIV prevention is to totally abstain from sex. However, for
most people this is neither easy nor desirable
so safer sex is recommended.
Penetrative sex holds the most risk in terms of HIV transmission. The most common forms of penetrative sexual
activity are:
Anal Sex
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Vaginal Sex
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Oral Sex
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Fingering/Masturbation
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Sex Toys
As the rectum has evolved as a digestive organ rather than a sexual organ its lining is very thin and absorbent.
It can be easily torn or scratched without the individual being aware due to
the lack of certain pain receptors. As the rectum does not produce natural
lubrication in the same way as the vagina fingers, sex toys and genitals can cause tiny tears and scratches which can allow infected sexual fluid to get into the
blood stream and cause HIV infection. Also, as the lining of the rectum is absorbent, infected fluid can travel across the rectal membrane
and enter the blood stream.
Many men assume that the receptive or "passive" partner is is most susceptible to HIV transmission but there is a significant risk for the penetrative,
"active" partner too. The natural lubrication found in the rectum contains as
much as 500% more infectious HIV material than a similar sized sample of blood.
HIV can enter the body through
either the absorbent skin under the foreskin or through the urethral opening (the hole at the end of the penis). This risk is even higher if there are other
undiagnosed or untreated sexually transmitted infections present.
Many people believe HIV to be synonymous with gay men and anal sex. Anal sex is a high risk activity for both partners and a recent nationwide sex
survey found that only around two thirds of gay men reported enjoying or partaking in anal sex/anal play whereas over 30% of heterosexual couples reported
that they regularly engaged in similar activities.
HIV does not discriminate between gender or sexuality. If you engage in
unprotected anal sex, you may be at risk from HIV.
Unlike the rectum the vagina has evolved as a sexual organ - it is not particularly absorbent and it produces its own lubrication much more
effectively than the rectum. In light of this, vaginal sex is considered a less risky activity than anal sex. This is not to say that it is a safe form of
sexual activity - quite the contrary. As the lining of the vagina is thin and delicate it can, like the rectum, be easily torn or scratched with fingers,
sex toys or genitals. If this happens, HIV can get into the body and cause infection.
Many of TPA's clients are women who contracted HIV through vaginal sex and current
statistics reveal that the vast majority of new diagnoses of HIV in the UK are heterosexually acquired.
Many men assume that the receptive or "passive" partner is is most susceptible to HIV transmission but there is a significant risk for the penetrative,
"active" partner too.
Female sexual fluid can contain infectious levels of HIV. HIV can enter the body through either the absorbent
skin under the foreskin or through the urethral opening (the hole at the end of the penis). This risk is even higher if there are other undiagnosed
sexually
transmitted infections present.
HIV does not discriminate between gender or sexuality. If you engage in unprotected
vaginal sex, you may be at risk from HIV.
Risk Prevention for Vaginal Sex
The risk of getting HIV from oral sex is low - certainly much lower than the risks involved in anal or vaginal sex but that is not to say that
the risk is non-existent. The health prevention agency in the UK suggests that as many as 3 percent of the current UK HIV population may have been infected
through oral sex.
The main risk comes from infectious sexual fluids coming into contact with the
lining of the mouth. The risk increases with the amount of sexual fluid
present, if oral hygiene is generally poor and how long prior to oral sex the
individual brushed their teeth. In addition to this, exposure to alcohol
may increase oral sex transmission through performing oral sex. A study in
2004 by the University of California at Los Angeles found that
when cells from the mouth were exposed to low levels of alcohol (as little as 4%
a.b.v.) that they were 3 - 6 times more likely to be infected by HIV.
Read the article summary
here.
HIV does not discriminate between gender or sexuality. If you engage in unprotected
oral sex, you may be at risk from HIV.
Solo masturbation or fingering carries no risk and mutual masturbation or fingering somebody else is an extremely low risk activity.
Providing that that no cuts are present (or covered if they are present) there is no viable route for HIV to get into the body.
Ejaculation into the eye or the use of sexual fluid (especially semen) as a lubricant in mutual masturbation can however pose a
small risk.
HIV does not discriminate between gender or sexuality. If you engage in masturbation or fingering and do not protect yourself, you may be at risk from HIV.
Risk Prevention for Masturbation &
Fingering
A potential risk for HIV transmission is the sharing of sex toys. HIV can live in the minute cracks or fissures in some sex toys and be passed from one person to another.
HIV does not discriminate between gender or sexuality. If you use sex toys and do not protect yourself, you may be at risk from HIV.
| From here you can go to: |
HIV Bodily Fluids |
HIV Routes of Entry
| Sexual Risks |
Injecting Risks
Mother to Child Risks |
Blood Product Risks |
Health Care Setting Risks
Tattoo/Piercing Risks
Or contact us for more information