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Every year, thousands of women are infected with HIV. Learn the facts. Teach women in your family and community how to prevent and treat HIV.
Quick facts about HIV
What is HIV?
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. A person who is HIV positive is said to be HIV positive (HIV+).
HIV stops your body from fighting disease. There are cells in your blood called “CD4 cells” or “T cells.” These cells help protect your body against disease. HIV kills these cells.
How do you contract HIV?
HIV is transmitted through bodily fluids such as blood, semen or breast milk.
You can get HIV when you:
- Have sex with someone who is HIV positive and don’t use a condom. Most women contract HIV through unprotected sex with a man. You can’t tell who is HIV positive just by looking at them. Always use a condom every time you have sex.
- Sharing needles or syringes (medications work) with someone who is HIV positive
- Obtain blood from an HIV-positive person. Now all blood donations are tested for HIV. You cannot get HIV from donating blood.
You can’t contract HIV from:
- Shake hands
- To kiss
- Sharing household items like forks or glasses with someone who is HIV-positive
HIV testing – know your status
How do you know if someone is HIV positive?
The only way to know for sure is to take an HIV test.
- You can’t tell who is HIV positive just by looking at them. Most people have no outward signs when they first get HIV.
- A person can transmit HIV even if they do not appear sick.
- Knowing your HIV status gives you the information you need to help you stay healthy.
How to get tested for HIV?
There are three main types of HIV tests:
- Blood – A small amount of blood is taken from your finger or arm.
- Oral – Fluid is taken from inside your mouth
- Urine – A small cup of urine is used.
Some HIV tests take one to two weeks to get results from a laboratory. Other tests called “rapid HIV tests” can provide results in about 20 minutes.
You can get tested at places like a doctor’s office, mobile health van, or health fair. There are also home HIV tests that allow you to test yourself.
To find a testing site near you:
What is the “window period”?
It may take a few weeks or months before HIV shows up on a test. This period is called the “window period”.
- A person who has just been infected with HIV may not test positive even if they have the virus.
- A person can transmit the virus to others during this window.
HIV treatment
Is there a cure for HIV?
There is no cure for HIV. There is medicines that people with HIV can take to help them live well and prevent the virus from accumulating in their bodies.
- Some people take 1 tablet per day. Other people take 3 or more medications every day.
- Over time, you can get very sick if you don’t take your HIV medications.
- People living with HIV should not stop taking their medications without first talking to a doctor.
- Clinical trials can help researchers find a cure and improve treatments for HIV. Visit the Women in clinical trials webpage to learn more about how you can participate.
- Some people at high risk of getting HIV may take medications to reduce their risk of getting the virus. PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) is the name used when people take HIV medications to reduce their chances of becoming infected.
It can be difficult to manage your health and your HIV treatment. If you often feel sad or stressed, talk to your HIV counselor or healthcare professional. about depression.
What do you need to know if you are pregnant or want to become pregnant?
A woman can pass HIV to her baby during pregnancy, labor or delivery. A woman can also pass HIV to her baby while breastfeeding.
- Women with HIV should talk to their doctor before becoming pregnant.
- Women with HIV can take medication to reduce the risk of passing HIV to their baby.
- Some anti-HIV medications should not be taken during pregnancy because they can cause birth defects. Ask your healthcare provider if you need to change your medications.
- There is pregnancy registry studies who follow HIV-positive women who take HIV medications during pregnancy.
HIV prevention
The most common way to get HIV is not to use a condom when having sex with someone who is HIV positive. You can take steps to protect yourself against the sexual transmission of HIV.
Condoms
Male condom
Latex condoms, the most common type, can help prevent pregnancy and reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). “Natural” or “lambskin” condoms help prevent pregnancy, but may not provide protection against STIs, including HIV. The male latex condom must be used consistently and correctly to help reduce the risk of HIV. The male condom cannot provide complete protection against HIV or other STIs.
Female condom
When used vaginally, the female condom reduces the risk of contracting HIV and other STIs. The female condom cannot provide complete protection against HIV or other STIs.
Medicine to reduce the risk of HIV
What is PrEP?
PrEP stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. PrEP is for adults who do not have HIV but are at high risk of becoming infected. With PrEP, you can take a medicine every day to reduce the risk of getting the HIV virus through sex. Ask a healthcare professional if PrEP is right for you.
Download the fact sheet on women and HIV in other languages
- Arabic (المرأة وفيروس نقص المناعة البشرية) (PDF, 218 KB)
- Chinese (女性与艾滋病病毒) (PDF, 2.37 MB)
- English (Women and HIV) (PDF, 2.37 MB)
- French (Women and HIV) (PDF, 2.29 MB)
- Haitian Creole (Fanm ak HIV) (PDF, 2.29 MB)
- Japanese (ヒトパピローマウイルス)(PDF, 2.39 MB)
- Korean (여성과 후천성 면역결핍증) (PDF, 2.44 MB)
- Polish (Kobiety and HIV) (PDF, 1.40 MB)
- Portuguese (Mulheres e HIV) (PDF, 2.31 MB)
- Russian (Женщины и ВИЧ) (PDF, 2.35 MB)
- Spanish (Las mujeres y elHIV) (PDF, 2.36 MB)
- Tagalog (Mga Kababaihan to HIV) (PDF, 4.29 MB)
- Vietnamese (Phụ nữ và HIV) (PDF, 3.79 MB)
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