Ways to Prevent HIV

There are  several ways to prevent the growing spread of HIV.

Get tested and know your partner’s HIV status. Talk to your partner about HIV testing and get tested before you have sex. Use this testing locator from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to find an HIV testing location near you.

Choose healthier  sexual behaviors. HIV is mainly spread by having anal or vaginal sex without a condom or without taking medicines to prevent or treat HIV.

Use condoms. Use a condom correctly every time you have sex.

Limit your number of sexual partners. The more partners you have, the more likely you are to have a partner with poorly controlled HIV or to have a partner with a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Both of these factors can increase the risk of HIV transmission.

Get tested and treated for STDs. Insist that your partners get tested and treated, too. Having an STD can increase your risk of becoming infected with HIV or spreading it to others.

Talk to your health care provider about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP is an HIV prevention option for people who don't have HIV but who are at high risk of becoming infected with HIV. PrEP involves taking a specific HIV medicine every day. For more information, read the AIDS info fact sheet on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).

Don't inject drugs. But if you do, use only sterile drug injection equipment and water and never share your equipment with others.

You can learn more about preventing HIV at the Center for Disease Control’s website located here.