HIV has a way of spurring anxieties in even the best of us and, with it, our sense of reason. Before we knew a lot about HIV/AIDS, people thought that AIDS spread by gays. Learn more about how to get the conversation started. HIV is not the only virus that can be transmitted by sharing drug injection equipment. Hormones and steroids can be injected into the body to make people look more feminine or masculine, to improve athletic performance, or for medical reasons. Also consider using additional prevention methods if you are unsure, for any reason, that your partner has an undetectable viral load. Some activities carry a higher chance of contracting HIV than others. Last medically reviewed on August 19, 2022. Saving Lives, Protecting People, share needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. There are a couple reasons that STIs can raise HIV risk. Some exposures to HIV carry a much higher risk of transmission than other exposures. See how receptive anal sex compares to other sexual activities here. You can get other STDs from oral sex. Can You Get HIV From a Toilet Seat? - Healthline All pregnant women should get tested for HIV as early as possible so that they can begin treatment if they have HIV. HIV Exposure: Advice for Health Care Workers | familydoctor.org Before having sex for the first time, you and your partner may want to get tested for HIV and learn the results. For example, even though people understand that you cant get HIV from utensils, there are many who will experience a twinge of concern if they learned that the chef of their favorite restaurant has HIV. If you inject prescription drugs for medical purposes, be sure to use new, sterile needles, syringes, or other injection equipment each time you inject.