There are many ways to lower your risk of getting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. You can get HIV infection from blood, semen, or vaginal fluid. If a mother has HIV infection, her baby can become infected during birth or from breastfeeding.

How can I lower my risk of getting HIV?

Talk honestly about HIV with your sex partner:

• Ask your partner about his or her HIV status.

• Ask your partner if he or she has had a recent HIV test. Ask if your partner has been tested for other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as gonorrhea or syphilis.

• Do not do anything more than kiss until you and your partner have had HIV tests.

• If you are pregnant, get tested for HIV. If you have HIV infection, there are medicines that can protect you and your baby.

Use a condom whenever you have sex:

• Always carry condoms with you.

• Keep condoms near your bed.

• Ask your partner to use a condom every time you have sex. Unless a condom is used, do not have any sex, including anal or oral sex.

Only have one sex partner:

• Stop seeing your partner if he or she is having sex with other people.

• Break up with your partner before you have sex with a new partner.

Do not use drugs or alcohol before sex:

• It’s better to not use drugs at all.

• If you use drugs and cannot stop, use clean needles, syringes, “cottons,” and “cookers.” Cottons are filters used to draw up a drug solution. Cookers include bottle caps, spoons, and other containers used to dissolve drugs.

• Make an appointment at a drug treatment center or an alcohol treatment center.

What if I am already infected?

If you already have HIV infection, you can lower the risk of giving the virus to others. Here are some things you can do:

• Take your HIV drugs the right way so that they will keep working.

• Consider not having any sex.

• If you want to continue having sex, talk honestly with your partner about your HIV status. Ask about his or her HIV status.

• Keep using condoms with your partner, even if you both have HIV. Use a condom every time you have oral, anal, or vaginal sex.

• If you are a drug user, do not share needles and other “drug works.”

• Tell your doctor right away if you are pregnant.