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HIV Prevention (Expert Forum)
condom broke, risks / cirumcision
Answered by
Edward W Hook, MD - HIV Prevention, stds
condom broke, risks / cirumcision
by mickeygjl, Jul 26, 2009 08:54AM
Hello Doctor, two questions here.
Yesterday I had anal sex with a guy and the condom broke (I was the top) . I pulled it out just seconds after I noticed something felt diffirent but I am not completely sure if the condom maybe broke earlier already. I always practise protected anal sex and I am always the insertive partner. He claims to be negative and tested 3 months ago. I was last tested in February.
1) I am very worried of course, but what was my actual risk for HIV if he is not telling the truth about his HIV status?
2) I am circumcised. Does this protect me more? I read about tests they done in Africa where they claim cicumcision prevents more from gettin HIV, but only with viginal intercourse. Is the effect of anal sex and cicumcision already been tested?
Lately I am thinking more and more: why is it that something wonderful and harmless, like sex, is so surrounded with risks and dangers..? I am not religious myself, but it almost looks like we are punished for something. It is a real shame that the negative sides of it sometimes overshadow the positve sides. A well, I guess we just have to live with that thought and play safe all the time anyway..
Thank you in advance.
Yesterday I had anal sex with a guy and the condom broke (I was the top) . I pulled it out just seconds after I noticed something felt diffirent but I am not completely sure if the condom maybe broke earlier already. I always practise protected anal sex and I am always the insertive partner. He claims to be negative and tested 3 months ago. I was last tested in February.
1) I am very worried of course, but what was my actual risk for HIV if he is not telling the truth about his HIV status?
2) I am circumcised. Does this protect me more? I read about tests they done in Africa where they claim cicumcision prevents more from gettin HIV, but only with viginal intercourse. Is the effect of anal sex and cicumcision already been tested?
Lately I am thinking more and more: why is it that something wonderful and harmless, like sex, is so surrounded with risks and dangers..? I am not religious myself, but it almost looks like we are punished for something. It is a real shame that the negative sides of it sometimes overshadow the positve sides. A well, I guess we just have to live with that thought and play safe all the time anyway..
Thank you in advance.
Doctor's Answer
by Edward W Hook, MD, Jul 26, 2009 11:56AM
, Jul 26, 2009 11:56AM
Welcome back to the Forums. Let's get straight to your questions:
1. This is a mathematical question. On average, in the unlikely event that your partner lied to you, your risk of HIV as the insertive partner with a single episode of unprotected anal intercourse is about 1 in 100 to 200.
2. Persons who are circumcised are at lower risk for HIV acquisition, on average with all other things being equal, than persons who are not circumcised. Several very good scientific studies have shown that men who get circumcised reduce their risk of getting HIV by about 35-50% compared to men who did not get circumcised. This has however only been studied in heterosexuals, not MSM. That said, the biological effect should be similar.
You have asked your rhetorical question about the risks associated with sex repeatedly and I do not have a good answer but would suggest that part of the answer has to do with the stigma associated with sex among some people. If we were able to de-stigmatize sex, it would become safer because persons would then seek care more readily, honestly disclose their sexual histories more often, and not avoid taking all of the steps which are known to reduce STD risk. My opinion only. EWH
1. This is a mathematical question. On average, in the unlikely event that your partner lied to you, your risk of HIV as the insertive partner with a single episode of unprotected anal intercourse is about 1 in 100 to 200.
2. Persons who are circumcised are at lower risk for HIV acquisition, on average with all other things being equal, than persons who are not circumcised. Several very good scientific studies have shown that men who get circumcised reduce their risk of getting HIV by about 35-50% compared to men who did not get circumcised. This has however only been studied in heterosexuals, not MSM. That said, the biological effect should be similar.
You have asked your rhetorical question about the risks associated with sex repeatedly and I do not have a good answer but would suggest that part of the answer has to do with the stigma associated with sex among some people. If we were able to de-stigmatize sex, it would become safer because persons would then seek care more readily, honestly disclose their sexual histories more often, and not avoid taking all of the steps which are known to reduce STD risk. My opinion only. EWH
>>>1 in 100 to 200
That sounds like a quite high risk to me. Would you then advise me to get tested again soon?
>>>in the unlikely event that your partner lied to you.
I have read this ofter on this forum. Have there actually been studies that show people don't lie about there status? I mean, why would they not lie about there HIV status if some of them DO lie about there past unsafe practices?
The fact is, from clinical experience that most people do tell the truth. If you choose to believe otherwise, that is up to you. EWH