Confused about number of tests.

[wondering51]

I am a 34 year old female who made a mistake.  While out drinking I had sex with someone I did not know or have not seen since.  I did not tell my husband and put off having unprotected sex for 3 months.  At the 3 month mark I took an HIV Elisa test (not sure of spelling).  It came back negative.  We want to have a baby so I stopped the protected sex and have been having sex regularly with my husband. Going through your forum I see that people have many tests outside the window period.  Now I am afraid.  I had this test done through a website which sent me to a lab.  Is one test enough to ensure my husband and future babies health??  I am petrified.  Do I need more testing or is one negative test enough to positively say I didn't get HIV?  I almost wish I hadn't stumbled across this site.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  You have no reason for concern. Even before your test results were available, your risk for HIV is low. the chance that your partner, as a heterosexual male in North America had HIV is very, very low (less than 1 in 1000) and even if he did , the risk of getting HIV from a single act of unprotected vaginal intercourse were also less than 1 in 1000.  Thus, statistically, your risk from the single exposure you describe was less than 1 in a million even before you were tested.

Then you had a HIV ELISA blood test at 3 months. This is definitive proof that you did not get HIV from  the exposure you describe.  You do not have HIV, you do not need further testing and your husband is not at risk.

You can put this all behind you and move forward.  Take care.  EWH

[Kykid30]

If anything I think you'll be glad you found this site. I'm certain that dr. Hook or dr. H will help calm your fears. You had a negative test at 3 months. I think you are conclusively HIV negative, especially since the odds were low that your partner had HIV in the first place.