intercourse during menstrual period

[kelvingladwell]

Hi Doc,

Need some help.

I had an intercourse with a European sex worker in Singapore today. It included protected oral and vaginal. We had oral for 5-10 mins, in which she gave a blowjob(protected). After that, we moved on to main intercourse. I am a very safe person, and so, just before the intercourse, I added one more condom, that too an "extra safe" one.(SO HAD 2 CONDOMS ON). The intercourse went on for about 5 mins.

After the intercourse, she used double tissue paper to remove the condoms slowly, and folded it correctly. Using the same tissue, she dabbed the head of my penis to remove the extra cum. I requested her to give the used condoms to me, as I wanted to check they were intact. As soon as she handed over to me, my world fell apart. I noticed that the condom and tissue had blood on it. She said she was expecting it 2 days later, and didnt know why it happened earlier. What the heck. I got completely freaked out. I went to the bathroom and checked if the condoms were intact(by putting water inside it). They were perfectly intact, with no water leakage.

Since she's a proper sex worker, taking atleast 3-4 clients a day, so there's a high chance she's infected.

Can you please let me know if I'm at a risk of an HIV exposure? I'm really scared. What if she didnt remove the condoms properly? What if there was blood on the same side of the tissue with which she dabbed the head of my penis? I'm freaking out right now. Please help!!!!!!!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You really need not worry.

1.   HIV is fragile and dies VERY quickly on exposure to the environment.  Further, even in the lab or in the human body, HIV lives only an hour or two.  there is no risk even if HIV infected menstrual blood were to come into contact with the head of your penis.

2.  If you need to test for your own peace of mind, a standard HIV antibody test would be completely accurate at 8 weeks following exposure. the harder to find HIV p 24 antigen/HIV antibody DUO test would give definitive results at 4weeks.

You really do not need to worry.  I hope my comment will help you move forward.  EWH

[kelvingladwell]

Hi Doc,

This reply may seem to be a little late.

I had read your reply on the same day you posted it, and was satisfied by the information you provided, and decided not to be worried.

But here I am all worried again, and need your help to get complete peace of mind.

I've two followup questions :
1) I read in one of the questions addressed to you that the HIV virus can stay outside the human body for many minutes and sometimes hours in laboratory conditions. Is this true? In that case, can using the same tissue(which had menstrual blood on it) used to clean the head of my penis be ruled out as a non-exposure?

2) If I do have to conduct tests for peace of mind, which ones and whendo you suggest I should take up?

Thanks,
K.G.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  My answers to your questions are the same as the responses you have already received from the HIV Prevention Community.  There is no risk for HIV or other STDs from the exposure you describe. That she might have been beginning her menses in no way changes this.  Let me please address several misperceptions that I note in your post:

1.  Checking a used condom for breakage/leakage is a waste of time. When condoms fail, they break wide open.  Condoms do not leak just a little-they break wide open when they fail.

2.  Please do not wear two condoms. Using two condoms actually increases the likelihood that they will fail.  

3.  That your partner was a commercial sex worker does NOT make it likely that she had HIV or any other STD.  The fact is that most CSWs do not have HIV.  

4.  The idea that they way your partner took off the condom or that by touching your penis with the same condom that was used to take off the condom does not carry risk for HIV infection.

Bottom line, this was a no risk exposure.  You have no medical reason for testing at all.  EWH