A month ago I had sex with a woman who is now considering becoming a sex worker to earn some extra money. I recently tested HIV negative and she has herself checked out regularly. Should I continue seeing her or would the risk of STD infection be too great?

If you are in a relationship where there is an understanding that you are not monogamous (ie, having sex with partners outside of the relationship), safer sex practices both within and outside of the relationship are recommended to reduce the risk of STI transmission. Condoms are highly effective in preventing the transmission of HIV, and many other, but not all, STIs. So if you and your partner agree to go ahead with this plan, there needs to be an understanding of the risks involved.

Decisions within relationships are rarely clear cut; this is especially true when making decisions about sex. You can never be 100% safe, so when making decisions, you will need to think about the costs and benefits of your choices so that there are no surprises. Maybe being with your partner is more important than your risk for acquiring genital warts and that's your choice. Maybe this would be too difficult to handle. Try to leave out moralism and follow your gut. Talking with understanding and unbiased people can be quite helpful in this process.

RMK