mathmatical risk

Hello Doctor, thanks for your service.

I was looking for advice relating to my potential risk. Numbers/Percentages?? I'm a heterosexual female who has had three partners since my last testing that I have had unprotected sex with (think I would have learned from the last time).  Unprotected anal with two of the men (several times with one man and once with the other man) and unprotected vaginal with one (once). I have no reason to believe that they are infected. As far as I know, they do not have sex with sex workers, other men, and they are not drug users. I don't even think they have had a large number of women partners.  But of course I don't know for sure. I was tested a few days ago for peace of mind and am awaiting the results. Thanks for your help.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Heterosexually acquired HIV is less common than you seem to think.  Most women with heterosexually acquired HIV are the regular partners (i.e., multiple sexual exposures over months or years) of men with known HIV infection or at least at known high risk.  You describe none of that.  Therefore, the chance you have HIV is low.  It is hard to put a number to it, but the statistics say that there is one chance of transmission for every 1000 episodes of unprotected vaginal sex, although it is higher for anal sex.  That's if one's partner is infected--which, from your description, is unlikely.

It was smart to be tested for peace of mind.  Every sexually active person (outside committed relationships) should be tested for HIV from time to time, like once a year.  But it will be very surprising if your test is positive.  I hope you also were tested for other common STDs, like gonorrhea and chlamydia.  The chance you have one of those is way higher than the likelihood of HIV.

I hope this helps.  Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[mba1976]

A related discussion, Insertive Vaginal Sex HIV Risk is > 1:1000 was started.