If your partner has HIV, what’s the best way to have sex and stay HIV negative?

There are now more ways than ever to stop HIV being passed on from one person to another (also called HIV transmission). You can combine as many of these methods as you want – what’s best for you is up to you!

• Condoms

Condoms are one of the best methods you and your partner can use to stop HIV being passed on. Condoms also protect you and your partner from other sexually transmitted infections and prevent pregnancy.

• PrEP

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) lowers your risk of getting HIV to almost zero. There are 3 PrEP options (a pill, injection and vaginal ring) but it does not protect you from STIs and pregnancy.

• U=U

U=U stands for undetectable equals untransmissible. If your partner is on HIV treatment and takes it properly, it will make the amount of HIV in their body so low that it will be undetectable in normal blood tests. If they are undetectable, they can’t pass on HIV, which means HIV is untransmissible. However, for this to work, your partner has to take their treatment all the time and they need to have regular viral load check-ups to make sure their treatment is still working.

So now that you know your options why not talk them over with your partner? You can even use this discussion starter to kick things off.