HIVprevention is about more than just following rules.
It’s about knowing the risks and understanding howHIV is transmittedandnot transmitted.
It’s about taking that extra step to educate yourself about both new and traditional forms of HIV prevention.
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Most of all, it’s about knowing yourself.
In the end, every person is different.
Some people aremore vulnerable to infectionthan others.
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Apretude is a newer PrEP option that does not involve taking a daily pill.
PrEP can be used by anyone at risk of HIV who wants to reduce their odds of infection.
A viral load is a measurement of the amount of virus in a sample of blood.
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Use Condoms
There is no reason to be lax when it comes to condoms.
No other preventive strategy can do all three.
Preventing STDs is important because they canincrease the risk of HIVby compromising delicate vaginal or anal tissues.
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This is not only true of STDs likesyphilisthat cause open sores but also any STD that causes genital inflammation.
Avoid Mother-to-Child Transmission
The prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV involves all stages of pregnancy.
Due to the routine screening of HIV during pregnancy, mother-to-child transmission is uncommon in the United States.
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Even so, it still occurs.
By placing the mother on antiretroviral therapy early in the pregnancy, the risk of transmission is extremely low.
Even if treatment is started later in the pregnancy, the overall risk is still less than 2%.
Since HIV can be found in breastmilk, nursing should also be avoided.
Avoid Sharing Needles
The rate of HIV among people who inject drugs (PWIDs) is high.
And, it’s not only PWIDSs who are at risk.
Called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), the strategy works best if started soon after exposure to the virus.
The earlier you start treatment, the better.
Summary
Today, HIV prevention takes many forms.
The more that you know about HIV and how to avoid it, the better protected you will be.
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