Some Expert Advice Appreciated

[patrickc]

I recently had protected vaginal intercourse with a female who I do not know.  During foreplay, I inserted the head of my penis into her vagina for like 5 seconds.  I did not insert it the full way.  After about 5 seconds I came to my senses, removed it, put on a condom, and proceeded to have protected intercourse. 

The incident has been playing on my mind alot recently, and I was wondering if the experts here could advise what the risks would be of contracting hiv from this 5 second incident, and should I consider being tested.

All comments would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[RapidRod]

What you did is called dipping. A five second dip, I would believe would be a low encounter. You are aware that other STDs are easier to catch than HIV? Have you ever had an HIV test? Wait thirteen weeks past your dipping session and test. If you aren't worrying about this incident, just test at your next annual check up.

[patrickc]

Ann, JK, or Andy.  Could you please give me your very much valued advice.

Thanks,

[Ann]

Patrick,

Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus and more so from a woman to a man. While it is very unlikely that you would have become infected through the very brief encounter you describe, you have had a risk and you do need to test. Hiv is nothing to assume or guess about. Only testing will reliably inform you of your hiv status.

As the vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks, a negative result at that time would be an excellent indication of your true status, but must be confirmed at the three month point.

While you're here, make sure you read through the Welcome Thread and follow the Lessons links found there.

You need to stop messing around without condoms and risking your life and health. You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL STIs together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence. Please note that they must be used from start to finish when penetration is involved.

Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results. Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv.

Use condoms correctly and consistently and you will avoid hiv infection.

I do expect you to come out of this ok, but testing is the prudent thing to do.

Ann

[patrickc]

All,

Thanks for the advice.

I thought that if the female was positive, that the HIV virus was located in the cervix, and not at the opening of the vagina.

Am I missing something?

[Ann]

Pat,

Yes, that's true. But I also said to you that it's unlikely that you became infected through this incident. However, hiv is nothing to guess about. You would be prudent to test, and you should be having regular sexual health care check ups anyway. As I also said to you, if you aren't already doing this, now is the time to start. Make sure you get a FULL sexual health check up, because hiv isn't the only infection out there and the rest are MUCH more easily transmitted.

Ann