HIV and Menstruation

[r20pra]

Doctor probably this has been answered many times, i appreciated you providing advise to me. An hours back i had sex with a body rub girl….covered … 5 mins into the sex i had realized some odd at scrotum and it there blood. there was about half a tea spoon of blood, it did not travel inside the condom its only at the base of the condom… I was worried about hiv and other std.. do I need to go to an emergency and start taking PEP. She says she is clean… I don't know some of it has touched the tip while I removing the condom etc… I was very careful, Please advise i am worried sick…

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your additonal comments do not change my assessment or advice.  EWH

[r20pra]

One final confirmation.
1. I am uncircumcised.
2. While cleaning some of the blood might have touched the head of penis not sure I was careful when removing condom.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. The question you ask is one we get frequently, raising concerns about the possibility of increased risk for HIV associated with exposure to menstrual blood.  This concern is not warranted however.  There is no evidence that sexual exposure to menstrual blood is associated with increased risk for acquisition of HIV.  In fact, when studied, the amount of HIV present in genital secretions from persons with HIV is highly variable and can often be higher than the amount of HIV present in the same person's blood.  

In your own case, there is little reason for concern.  Further, you do not know that your partner had HIV and statistically it is unlikely that she had HIV.  Even if she did, you used a condom and condom protected sex is safe sex.  That some of her genital secretions containing blood was on the surface of your scrotum does not represent a risk for HIV or any other STI.  Given the specifics of your exposure, there is certainly no reason to seek PEP and in fact, there is not even a reason to test for HIV or other STIs, you were not at meaningful risk for infection,.

Please don’t worry and please continue to practice safe sex.  I hope this comment is helpful.  EWH