HIV Negative Women

Positive Outcomes for Women Engaged in Reproductive Health

Information to empower you to make informed decisions about sex, relationships, and family planning. Information on HIV prevention and safer conception methods for women. For more information on HIV prevention for women, please visit hiveonline.org/prevention4women.

To read real life stories, visit the HIVE Blog.

Informational Brochures in English

Thinking About Having a Baby? for HIV- Women with Male Partners Who are Living With HIV

Preventing HIV and Pregnancy for HIV- Women Partnered with Men Living with HIV ?

Is PrEP Right for Me? A Guide for Cis* Women

Preventing HIV During Pregnancy/Breastfeeding: Using PrEP and/or PEP

Folletos Informativos en Espa?ol

?Es la PPrE adecuada para mi?

La PPrE durante el Embarazo y/o la Lactancia

Prevencio?n del VIH y el Embarazo

?Pensando en tener un bebe??

Our brochures are currently unavailable on our website. Please message Cynthia Gutierrez at cynthia.gutierrez@ucsf.edu if you need a copy of a brochure.

Information for you

How do people get HIV?

Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick Talks about How HIV is Transmitted

How is HIV Transmitted?

HIV is transmitted, or spread, through contact with these body fluids:

Blood (including blood from your period and any blood in saliva, urine, and feces).
Semen (“cum”) and other sexual fluids from the penis (“pre-cum”).
Vaginal fluids.
Breast milk.

HIV is not spread through:

Sweat
Tears
Saliva (spit)
Feces (poop)
Urine (pee)

HIV can be transmitted during:

Pregnancy, labor, delivery, or breastfeeding (called perinatal or vertical transmission).
Sex
Re-using or sharing needles or other works/equipment for injecting drugs, tattoos, or other substances.

HIV is not spread by:

Hugging
Holding hands
Kissing
Drinking or eating from the same cups or utensils as a person living with HIV
Using a toilet also used by someone living with HIV

You can safely share a drink, a hug, a toilet, a handshake, dishes with someone who has HIV.

For more on HIV transmission:

The Well Project: http://www.thewellproject.org/hiv-information/hiv-transmission
Medline Plus: https://medlineplus.gov/hivaidsinwomen.html

Preventing HIV

HIV is more preventable than ever. You may already know about HIV prevention options such as male (external) and female (internal) condoms, and testing. Let?s talk about a few more: PrEP, PEP, and U=U.

? U=U is when a person living with HIV takes medications to keep the virus at very low levels (called an undetectable viral load). Many large studies show that people who have an undetectable viral load have no risk of passing HIV through sex. U=U is short for ?undetectable = untransmittable.?

For more on U=U, check out this video:

What is U=U?

? PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a daily pill to help keep you HIV-negative. When taken as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective. PrEP is safe and generally well tolerated. Most insurance plans (public and private) cover PrEP.

For more on PrEP, check out this video:

What is the PrEP Pill?

? PEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, is a combination of medications you can take after a possible exposure to HIV. PEP is most effective the sooner it?s started, and must be started within 72 hours of the exposure. PEP is taken daily for 28?30 days

These strategies work for people of all genders, sexual orientations, ages, and people who inject drugs.

For more on PEP, check out this video:

What is Post Exposure Prophylaxis (Also Known As PEP)?

You can use these HIV-prevention strategies alone or in combination to reduce your risk of getting HIV. Take charge of your sexual health!

For more information on preventing HIV, check out: https://hiveonline.org/prevention4women/

Preventing Pregnancy

As a woman, you have the right to decide if, when, and how to have children.

There are many birth control options available to you, depending on when and if you want to have a baby. Your doctor can support you in finding the best option for you.

For more on each method of contraception, visit: https://www.bedsider.org/methods

Check out this brochure to learn more.

Having a baby if your partner is living with HIV

Advances in HIV treatment and prevention make starting a family an exciting and safe option for couples affected by HIV. There are several safer conception options available to you.

To learn more, check out:

Want to learn about real life stories? Read our blogs on safer conception: https://www.hiveonline.org/safer-conception/.