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Ask the Experts about Mixed-HIV-Status Couples
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Sex without condoms
May 27, 2005

iam a positve lady married to a loving and kind negative man,my last cd4 count as of April 2005 was 1080,with undectectable viral load.pls can i have sex without condom with my hubby now.

Response from Dr. Remien

People keep asking this question over and over again. While risk of transmission is considered to be lower when there is a very low viral load (undetectable simply means that it is lower than the test that is used can detect), there is always virus present in both plasma and genital secretions. Risk of transmission may be lower, but the risk remains. I understand the desire to have sex without any barriers between you and your husband, but you and your partner need to decide if the fact that transmission of HIV is still possible is something you are comfortable with. The conservative answer is always wear a condom; others would say, the risk is low enough that it is worth taking. .Nobody can tell you what to do or what is "okay" for you - again it is up to the two of you.



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