This booklet is for women living with HIV. It is important to know that you can live a long healthy life. You can enjoy sex, have fulfilling relationships and have a baby without passing on HIV. This booklet is specifically for cisgender women living in the UK. A cisgender woman is someone whose gender (woman) matches the female biological sex she was given at birth. We recommend you discuss the information in this booklet with your HIV clinic.

“You have to take time with the patient, listen to them, all their stories and baggage…I don’t think we have that environment here. When you have a long line of clients, you aren’t going to give every...

Impossible routes of transmission include: coughing, sneezing and spitting; mosquito bites; sharing cutlery, plates or cups; kissing or hugging.

Using condoms correctly will prevent them breaking, leaking or slipping off during sex. Use only water-based or silicone lubricants, not oil-based.

Condoms provide a barrier during sex. They can prevent HIV and many other sexually transmitted infections. Used correctly, they are also an effective form of co

Early research studies in Africa that found higher education was associated with a greater risk of HIV have often been dismissed as errors or anomalies, especially once later research suggested the op...

The predominant forms of HIV originated in chimpanzees in central Africa and probably entered the human population between 1890 and 1920.

We work to change lives by sharing information about HIV & AIDS. We believe independent, clear and accurate information is vital

PEP is a method of preventing HIV infection. In the UK the recommended first-line PEP medications are generally well tolerated by most people.

Post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, is a way of preventing HIV infection. It involves taking a 28-day course of anti-HIV drugs, after possible exposure to HIV.

Bacterial vaginosis is a common condition which occurs when the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina changes.

People with HIV can give birth without passing on HIV to their baby. Your options for getting pregnant will depend on your health and your partner’s HIV status

Taking the antibiotic doxycycline after sex works well to prevent syphilis and chlamydia for gay and bisexual men, and trans women.

Anaemia is more common in people living with HIV, especially people with a low CD4 count. Anaemia can cause symptoms of tiredness and breathlessness.

HIV transmission is possible during pregnancy, labour and delivery. But with effective HIV treatment and a managed delivery, the risk is

Leading community-led PrEP services are rethinking how they deliver services while reaching beyond their traditional user base. Facing waiting lists of thousands, the clinics are streamlining care and developing new strategies to engage trans people and migrant men who have sex with men. These were among the approaches shared at the 2nd European Workshop on Breaking PrEP Barriers, held in Barcelona last week.

Early HIV infection is also known as acute or primary HIV infection. It may cause flu-like symptoms.

The symptoms of recent HIV infection are the same in men and women. A flu-like illness may appear within a month of infection.

While 41% of HIV-negative people from sexual and gender minorities in the UK are taking PrEP, figures drop to below 15% in most of the Balkans and eastern Europe, according to results from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS) 2024. Too many people stop taking PrEP when they still need it, and this is often due to access difficulties, Professor Kai Jonas of the University of Maastricht told the 2nd European Workshop on Breaking PrEP Barriers, held in Barcelona last week.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection that usually affects the lungs. It can be very serious, particularly for people living with HIV who have a low CD4 count.

People living with HIV have a higher risk of lung cancer than people without HIV. Many people do not have symptoms during the early stages of lung cancer.