Women’s HIV Prevention
The Women’s HIV Prevention Program works with local agencies in response to women’s HIV/AIDS Prevention needs and to improve the quality of life for women living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. . The goal of the program is to act as a liaison between Access AIDS Network and other groups that serve women in hopes to establishes, facilitates and maintain collaborative partnership that will assist and serve women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
What Do Women Need to Know?
Women are at risk for HIV infection. Many women think AIDS is a disease of gay men. But women get HIV from sharing needles and from heterosexual sex. Many women with HIV do not know how they got infected, so they probably don’t know whether their male partners are infected or not.
During sex, HIV is transmitted twice as easily from men to women then from women to men. A woman’s risk of infection is highest with anal intercourse, or if she has a vaginal disease. The risk of infection is higher if your sex partner is or was an injection drug user, has other sex partners, has had sex with infected people, or has sex with men.
Women should protect themselves against HIV infection. Having male sex partners use condoms lowers the chance of HIV infection. There is a female condom that provides some protection, but not as much as a male condom. Other forms of birth control, such as birth control pills, diaphragms, or implants do NOT provide protection against HIV. There is not yet any cream or gel (microbicide) that women can use to prevent HIV infection.
Women should get tested for HIV. Many women don’t find out they have HIV until they become ill or get tested during pregnancy. Women who aren’t tested for HIV seem to get sick and die faster than men. But if they get tested and treated, they live as long as men.
Gynecological problems can be early signs of HIV infection. Ulcers in the vagina, persistent yeast infections, and severe pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can be signs of HIV. Hormone changes, birth control pills, or antibiotics can also cause these vaginal problems. See your health care provider to make sure you know the cause.
Women get more and different side effects than men when taking antiretroviral therapy. On average, women weigh less than men and might have higher blood levels of drugs. Women are more likely than men to get skin rashes and liver problems, and to experience body shape changes (lipodystrophy,. Bone loss is also a concern. They also have more problems caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV does not seem to improve when people take antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Many women are parents in addition to dealing with their health and employment. This can make it more difficult to take medications and schedule medical appointments. With proper support, however, women do very well on HIV treatment.
More women are becoming infected with HIV. With early testing and treatment, women with HIV can live as long as men. Women should get tested for HIV. This is especially true for pregnant women. If they test positive for HIV, they can take steps to reduce the risk of infecting their babies.
The best way to prevent infection in heterosexual sex is with the male condom. Other birth control methods do not protect against HIV. Women who use intravenous drugs should not share equipment.
Women should discuss vaginal problems with their health care provider, especially yeast infections that don’t go away or vaginal ulcers (sores). These could be signs of HIV infection.
Resource provided by The BODY – the complete HIV/AIDS Resource 2010
