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Exposure while Performing Oral sex on a woman
Hi Doctor,
Ever since my career started blossoming at the beginning of 2012, I have become extremely cautious when it comes to my health. After all, like many young professionals, I would like to get married one day and start a family. So I must remain healthy at all costs. I had sexual intercourse with only woman this year. I also tested negative for HIV after that and promised myself to always wear a condom until I know my partner's status.
Just a week ago on December 15, I performed oral sex on a young woman. In other words, it was cunnilingus. I licked her clitoris and vulva. I might have inserted my tongue in her vagina for 2 seconds. I also fingered her vagina. The entire act lasted no more than 4 or 5 minutes. She did not even ejaculate. We stopped when I put a condom on and was preparing to penetrate her. She resisted intercourse, saying that she just got out of a 3-year-long relationship (with the only man she’s ever man been with) and that she wasn’t ready to engage in sexual intercourse with someone else yet.
Gentleman that I am, I respected her decision. We went to sleep right after that. The next day, I suddenly became paranoid and I started researching risks involved with cunnilingus. This woman was a young Italian-American college student and from what it seems, she was by no means a **** and didn’t have a lot of experience since she’s only been with one guy. I have not had any symptoms. None whatsoever. The woman herself is fine and we're been in touch by phone since that night.
So Doctor, what is your assessment of the situation? Sometimes I think I’m putting too much thought into this and that I should let it go. But a word from you can help me put my mind at ease once and for all. I surely don’t want to bring this anxiety to the New Year.
Ever since my career started blossoming at the beginning of 2012, I have become extremely cautious when it comes to my health. After all, like many young professionals, I would like to get married one day and start a family. So I must remain healthy at all costs. I had sexual intercourse with only woman this year. I also tested negative for HIV after that and promised myself to always wear a condom until I know my partner's status.
Just a week ago on December 15, I performed oral sex on a young woman. In other words, it was cunnilingus. I licked her clitoris and vulva. I might have inserted my tongue in her vagina for 2 seconds. I also fingered her vagina. The entire act lasted no more than 4 or 5 minutes. She did not even ejaculate. We stopped when I put a condom on and was preparing to penetrate her. She resisted intercourse, saying that she just got out of a 3-year-long relationship (with the only man she’s ever man been with) and that she wasn’t ready to engage in sexual intercourse with someone else yet.
Gentleman that I am, I respected her decision. We went to sleep right after that. The next day, I suddenly became paranoid and I started researching risks involved with cunnilingus. This woman was a young Italian-American college student and from what it seems, she was by no means a **** and didn’t have a lot of experience since she’s only been with one guy. I have not had any symptoms. None whatsoever. The woman herself is fine and we're been in touch by phone since that night.
So Doctor, what is your assessment of the situation? Sometimes I think I’m putting too much thought into this and that I should let it go. But a word from you can help me put my mind at ease once and for all. I surely don’t want to bring this anxiety to the New Year.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Few people are successful in combating increased anxiety or phobias on their own, and obviously you're leaning to pulling the trigger on professional care. I suggest you do it soon.
Best wishes. Thanks for the thanks about the forum.
Best wishes. Thanks for the thanks about the forum.
Thank you for the reassurance, Doctor. As you have noticed, I am indeed dealing with abnormal HIV anxiety. I inquired about psychotherapy about two months ago. My employer told me these services are included in my benefits package and gave me a number to call. But I have yet to schedule an appointment because I kept telling myself that I can fight this anxiety alone or because I am a little embarrassed to tell my story. Even my personal physician thinks I worry too much. The truth of the matter is that I am struggling to eradicate this anxiety on my own and I need help. The sooner I act on it, the better.
Your post has already given me a lot of relief. Thanks again for your words of wisdom, Doctor. I will keep in mind everything you said and continue to practice safe sex.
I wish you a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year !
Your post has already given me a lot of relief. Thanks again for your words of wisdom, Doctor. I will keep in mind everything you said and continue to practice safe sex.
I wish you a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year !
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
Replying first to the question as posed in the title you chose: Cunnilingus is considered risk free with regard to HIV, which is rarely if ever transmitted by cunnilingus, either from vulva to mouth or vice versa. Nobody can say the risk is truly zero, but if any such transmissions occur, they are exceedingly rare.
Now having read both your question and your previous discussions on the community forum, it seems you are abnormally anxious about HIV -- to a point that you suggested yourself that you might need professional psychological care about it. Have you followed through on it? How's it going?
As to the details of this exposure, you shouldn't be at all worried. The chance a woman like your partner has HIV is almost zero. And as noted above, even if she had HIV you were not at significant risk.In other words, I agree exactly with your self-assessment of the situation: "I think I’m putting too much thought into this and that I should let it go." You don't need testing.
Here is all you need to know to prevent HIV: don't have unprotected intercourse with new, casual, or unknown partners, i.e. your bare penis in another person's vagina or rectum; don't share injection equipment with other people; and if your professional status involves health care delivery, take standard precautions about latex gloves, handling used sharp instruments, etc. Beyond such exposures, you can safely ignore HIV as a future health concern.
Finally, although not directly pertinent to your concerns about HIV, here's a nugget of human sexuality education: there is no such thing as female ejaculation with orgasm, except, in some women, a squirt of urine.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Replying first to the question as posed in the title you chose: Cunnilingus is considered risk free with regard to HIV, which is rarely if ever transmitted by cunnilingus, either from vulva to mouth or vice versa. Nobody can say the risk is truly zero, but if any such transmissions occur, they are exceedingly rare.
Now having read both your question and your previous discussions on the community forum, it seems you are abnormally anxious about HIV -- to a point that you suggested yourself that you might need professional psychological care about it. Have you followed through on it? How's it going?
As to the details of this exposure, you shouldn't be at all worried. The chance a woman like your partner has HIV is almost zero. And as noted above, even if she had HIV you were not at significant risk.In other words, I agree exactly with your self-assessment of the situation: "I think I’m putting too much thought into this and that I should let it go." You don't need testing.
Here is all you need to know to prevent HIV: don't have unprotected intercourse with new, casual, or unknown partners, i.e. your bare penis in another person's vagina or rectum; don't share injection equipment with other people; and if your professional status involves health care delivery, take standard precautions about latex gloves, handling used sharp instruments, etc. Beyond such exposures, you can safely ignore HIV as a future health concern.
Finally, although not directly pertinent to your concerns about HIV, here's a nugget of human sexuality education: there is no such thing as female ejaculation with orgasm, except, in some women, a squirt of urine.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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