Dear Doctor,

Your question appears to have not been completed.  What you describe sounds like a very low risk situation.  Please try to complete your question.  EWH
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I am sorry, the form sent before I was finished. I was going on to say, that during the last year, I have found myself with a myriad of health problems: hair loss, frequent illness, frequent  cold sores back to back and recurrent yeast infections. I've been to doctors who have done routine blood work and they have all said it is likely due to stress. But I have often thought back to those (2) encounters with the man before my husband and have had an irrational fear of HIV and other STDS. On Friday, I will go for my first OBGYN appointment where I'm sure I will be screened for STDs and HIV, and I can't stop worrying about the results. THe fact that my husband and I conceived without trying, after only 2 months of being back together, after so many failed attempts and everything we went through, is a miracle.  But I can't get the fear of the risks associated with my past encounter out of my head. can you offer some assurances as I go into testing on Friday? I know the stress I am creating worrying over the chance that I have HIV is not good for me or this baby. THank you! 

Thanks for completing your pot.  From what you have written I see no reason for concern. The casual premarital encounters you describe were no risk for HIV or other STIs in the unlikely circumstance that your partner had HIV.  As you point out there is no risk from mutual masturbation or from frottage (body rubbing) and he risk for acquisition of HIV from receptive oral sex is less than 1 in 10,000.  Further, they problems you describe over the past year are far, far more likely to be the product of stress than HIV - they have occurred too soon since your laison with that partner and are atypical for HIV.  I have every confidence that your HIV test later this week will be negative.  Please don't worry and best of luck with your pregnancy.  EWH.
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Thank you!!

Dr, after reading through these posts, I do have a couple follow up question if I may. Does the fact that I have HSV1 increase the risk scenario for the oral exposure in the same way that it does with genital HSV2 and HIV? I did not have a cold sore outbreak during these encounters.  And also, can the fact that I am pregnant increase the frequency of my cold sore outbreaks? I am 6 weeks pregnant and I have had 3 already. THank you!

There are no data to suggest that your oral HSV would increase your risk for HIV acquisition.  As for your increased frequency of colds sores, any stress could do this, including I imagine your pregnancy as well as your concerns over the possibility of having been infected.  I urge you not to worry. I anticipate the your test will show that you do not have HIV. EWH
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Thank you. If you leave the thread open, I will post my results next week. I know that often helps folks plagued with anxiety of their own. Thank you again. 

I am very pleased to report a negative result on my prenatal HIV screen! Although, I was surprised to note that among the STD screening panel, a screen for HSV2 was notably absent. I am aware of the limitations and risk of false positive tests, and that is chiefly why my regular GYN (not OB) doesn't test for it in the absence of symptoms. However, given the huge risk HSV 2 can pose to a baby should a woman have an outbreak during delivery, I was surprised they didn't include it-- particularly considering many people are asymptomatic  or unaware of infection. Would you recommend I request a test? I don't believe I have ever been tested for it. And if so, is there a specific test I should request--perhaps one more accurate than another? Thank you, Dr. I have immense gratitude to you and the service you provide. 

Thanks for sharing your test results.---