[Question #10051] Hiv exposure?

26 months ago

Hi, i had protected sex with an unknown status person, condom was on throughout the whole duration when i was in her. However, after i pulled out, the condom slipped and fell to the ground. Or maybe when i was pulling out the condom slipped and fell to the ground. I am worried about contracting HIV because of this and i can’t find any answer online, but those that i could find described condom slip as an high risk exposure, hence my questions.

1. Presumably my condom slipped out while i was withdrewing, does this count as an exposure to HIV, or am i just worrying for nothing?

2. If the condom slipped off after i pulled out, does this count as an high risk exposure to hiv?

3. Do you think that i should get tested for HIV because of this encounter? Does this count as an hiv exposure risk?

Edward W. Hook M.D.

26 months ago

Welcome to our forum. Thanks for your question. Thanks as well for your commitment to safe, condom-protected sex. It will do much to keep you safe.

For condoms to slip down during sex or even come off completely as one removes himself from a sexual partner reduces the effectiveness of the condom, minimally, if it all. As long as the head of the penis is covered during penetrative sexual activity, the condom is doing its job. It is not at all uncommon for condoms to slip off as individuals remove them selves from sexual partners after sex. The fact that your condom slipped off and fell on the floor indicates that it was on throughout the encounter, and only fell off at the very end. When condoms slip entirely off during sex, they get pushed deep into the vagina, something that clearly did not happen to you. I would not be concerned.

I should add that even without a condom your risk for HIV was low. Most women do not have HIV ( in the US the figure is substantially lower than 1%) and following a single unprotected exposure to an untreated HIV infected partner, less than 1 person in 1000 becomes infected ( I.e. more than 99.9% of exposures do not result in infection)..

In response to your specific questions:

1. I would not be worried in the least.

2. This was a virtually no risk exposure

3. I would not get tested in your situation

I hope that this information is helpful. EWH

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26 months ago

Thank you for replying Doctor hook.

So based on your answer to my question, i am safe to assume that the risk of me contracting HIV through this encounter is virtually zero because of the fact that the condom fell to the ground?

Also, based on that, this encounter does not warrant enough risk for me to consider taking a HIV test?

Lastly, i can basically forget about this whole encounter as it doesn’t count as an exposure to HIV?

26 months ago

Just an update after confirming with the partner. The condom did not fell to the ground however it remained inside her with the ending part of the condom hanging out of her and she was able to pull it out. Now with this new information, does it changes the fact that i am at risk of hiv?

Few more questions,

1. Because the condom was still hanging out of her body, does this means that the condom slipped off while i was withdrawing?

2. Is this encounter considered a high risk exposure to HIV?

3. Do you think that i should do a HIV test?

Edward W. Hook M.D.

26 months ago

Even with the end of the condom sticking out of your partner’s vagina, when you withdrew from her following sex, the condom had done its job, and all that I said is steel relevant. No change in my assessment. You are worrying entirely too much.

1. Correct

2. No, this was a very, very low risk encounter.

3. Whether not the test for HIV is a personal choice. As I have already said if I were in the situation, I would not bother to test.

I hope the information I have provided to you is helpful. Please don’t worry. EWH.

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