Freaking out about risk from vaginal bleeding...

[simon123]

A couple nights ago I went out with a girl and we had sex. We did use a condom. However, after about 15 min, we realized she was bleeding. It must have been for most of that time and we didn't notice. There was a lot of blood everywhere, on my penis, groin and on our thighs. She wasn't having her period so it must have been vaginal bleeding for some other reason. After we realised, I took off the condom and washed away the blood with soap and water in the shower a couple minutes later. She is a white American. I told her my worries and says she doesn't have anything as far as she knows, though hasn't been tested.

I know the biggest risk prob would have been if I had the top end of my penis exposed to the blood... but now I find myself wondering about how I took off the condom... I wasn't especially cautious with that.. maybe in the process of doing so I got some of the blood on there... or maybe when I was washing it off I got some on there.

I've read about PEP and wonder if that is something I should consider? I could go into a clinic tomorrow and would be within the 72 hour window period.

I have three main questions:

1.) In the situation described above, what is the risk of being infected with HIV? I know for unprotected vaginal sex it's about 1:2000... but what about in this situation?

2.) Are things like how I took off the condom or washed myself of any consequence?

3.) Should I consider going in to see about PEP?

I am really worried... and if there is enough risk to warrant PEP, I want to know. I would be extremely grateful if you could answer these.

Thanks so much!

[ableman]

Thanks for reply, i would like to know how long it taks for one to start experiencing ARS after been infected with HIV?
Thank you

[skerdstraght68]

Does anyone know exactly how much the risk goes up with mentral blood.  I would assume it's diluted somewhat compared to straight blood in the blood stream?  I would also assume that alot of sex acts occour at the beginning or end of a cycle when the blood is hardly noticalble.  I guess the question is does visable blood turn a low risk senerio into a high risk?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Not surprisingly, the risk of HIV transmission is elevated in association with vaginal sex during menstruation, and presumably other causes of vaginal bleeding as well.  But when the risk of transmission is virtually zero anyway, it makes no realistic difference.  Unless your partner is known to be at high risk for HIV (partner of an infected person, injection drug user, etc), the odds she has HIV are extremely low.  And you used a condom; blood or no blood, that is virtually 100% protective.  I don't even think you need HIV testing, let alone PEP.

1) your risk was virtually zero; too low to measure.

2) As long as the condom was in place when your penis was in your partner's vagina, you are home free.

3) Absolutely not.  Any provider who agrees to provide it, even if you request it, would be guilty of very poor judgment at best, and perhaps malpractice, in my opinion.

Just forget the whole thing. You really aren't at risk for HIV from this event.  Or if you want that extra measure of insurance, encourage your partner to have an HIV test. (If she has no obvious risks, you should offer to pay for it, of course.)  If she is certain the blood wasn't a normal period, she needs to see her health care provider anyway.

Good luck--  HHH, MD