Hi,

Condoms are an excellent way to protect you from HIV. If a condom is used properly, does not break or slip off,  it is unlikely that you will get HIV from having sex with a partner who is HIV positive.

There are a few ways to increase the chances that condoms protect you:

• Check the expiry date (as you did)
• Use lubrication to lower the chances the condom will break

Also, it is important to put the condom on correctly before you have genital contact. Check out our page on condoms for more info.

You didn’t say if your partner is being treated for HIV. If she is taking medications, and they are working well, then there should be a very low amount of virus in her body. This is called being “undetectable”. If someone is undetectable. the chances of passing HIV to a partner are much lower than if there is no treatment. With the combination of medication and condom use it is even more unlikely that you will get HIV from your partner. 

There are medications you can take if a condom breaks or you don't use a condom. This medication is called  PEP. These medications work best if taken as soon as possible within  72 hours after exposure to HIV. If you think there is a chance you have been exposed to HIV, then it is important to talk with a healthcare provider who knows about HIV treatment to see if this is an option.

Overall, if your partner is being treated and has undetectable levels of virus in the blood, and you use condoms properly, the chances of you getting HIV are very low. It is important to consider your comfort level with this very small chance. This is something only you can decide.

Please leave a comment to let us know if that answers your question or if you need more information.

Health Nurse

For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
 

This answer was posted on January 30, 2014