|
Penetrative Intercourse
- page 1 of 3
A. Intercourse:
Vaginal Sex
Potential for
Transmission
The earliest safer sex
advice rightly categorized penile-vaginal intercourse as
"high risk."
All of the conditions
for efficient viral transmission are in place during
this activity.
Penile-vaginal
intercourse is a high-risk activity. The majority of
documented cases of HIV transmission throughout the
world are the result of unprotected penile-vaginal
intercourse. The risk of transmission can be reduced
through the proper use of condoms with lubricant.
A widespread
misconception is that the risk for the receptive partner
will be reduced if unprotected penile-vaginal
intercourse is stopped before ejaculation occurs. This
action carries a significant potential for transmission,
given the efficiency of transmission through
penile-vaginal intercourse and the impossibility of
determining how much pre-ejaculatory fluid may be
deposited in the vagina. Interrupted penile-vaginal
intercourse without a condom is still high risk.
Evidence of
Transmission
There is ample
documented evidence of HIV transmission through
unprotected insertive and receptive penile-vaginal
intercourse.
Assessment of Risk
of HIV Transmission Insertive penile-vaginal intercourse
With properly used
condom: Low risk
Without condom:
High risk
Receptive
penile-vaginal intercourse
With properly used
condom: Low risk
Without condom:
High risk
B. Intercourse: Anal Sex
Potential for
Transmission
The earliest safer sex
advice rightly classified penile-anal intercourse as
high risk. All of the conditions for efficient viral
transmission are in place during this activity. The risk
can be reduced through the proper use of condoms with
lubricant. In case the condom was to break, the risk is
reduced further still if the insertive partner pulls out
before ejaculation.
Although more cases of
transmission have been attributed to receptive
penile-anal intercourse, the number of infections among
insertive partners is significant enough to make this a
high-risk activity.
Evidence of
Transmission
There is ample
documented evidence of HIV transmission through
unprotected insertive and receptive penile-anal
intercourse. The proper use of condoms with lubricant
has been shown to greatly reduce incidence of
transmission during anal intercourse. There is evidence
of transmission due to condom failure, however, so
receptive penile-anal intercourse with a condom is
considered to be low risk.
Assessment of Risk
of HIV Transmission: Insertive penile-anal intercourse
With properly used
condom: Low
risk
Without condom: High risk
Receptive
penile-anal intercourse
With properly used
condom: Low
risk
Without condom: High risk
 |
