Women and HIV
Women and HIV
You may be wondering, “Does HIV affect women?”
The answer is yes.
Women represent about 1 in 5 new HIV diagnoses each year.*
Over half of women diagnosed with HIV are Black.†
18% of women diagnosed with HIV are Hispanic/Latina.†
1 in 7 transgender women are living with HIV.‡
*According to a 2018 study.
†According to a 2019 study.
‡According to studies conducted between 2006 and 2017.
How do women get HIV?
The risk of getting HIV is increased when a condom is not used during vaginal and/or anal sex.
Why should women use PrEP?
To be prepared in case things don't go as planned. A condom can break (or one may not be used at all), or a partner might have sex outside of the relationship without letting their partner know.
What does all that mean?
It’s more important than ever that women be prepared to protect themselves from HIV.
That includes using safer sex practices, like condoms and lubricants, and learning about PrEP, a medication that helps prevent HIV.
You may want to consider PrEP if you:
Are having sex with more than 1 partner
Are in a relationship, but want to be extra safe if you don’t know the status of your partner
Are working in the sex industry
Have a sexual partner(s) who is living with HIV, especially if they haven’t reached undetectable yet or are unsure of their viral load
Have had a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the past 6 months
Sometimes have sex without a condom
Are concerned that someone may see your PrEP pill
Advocating for yourself and your health
It’s not always easy to talk about sex, but it’s important, especially when it comes to HIV.
Remember: You have the right to ask your healthcare provider for an STI/HIV test and to discuss your options for taking charge of protecting yourself.
There’s a long-acting PrEP that also helps protect women against getting HIV-1.
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