Different sexual activities can increase or decrease your risk of getting HIV or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
No Risk –Activities that do not include an exchange of bodily fluids:
- Holding or hugging.
- Dry kissing.
- Masturbation (alone).
- Foreplay (without bodily fluid exchange).
Safer – Barrier-protected activities or very little bodily fluid contact:
- French or deep kissing.
- Mutual masturbation, with a barrier to prevent fluid exchange.
- Oral sex with a condom, dam or plastic wrap.
- Analingus (rimming, butt licking) with a dam or plastic wrap.
- Vaginal intercourse with a condom.
- Anal intercourse with a condom.
Risky – Activities during which exchange of bodily fluids might create some danger of transmitting HIV:
- Vaginal sex without a condom, with a monogamous partner who tested negative for HIV.
- Anal sex without a condom, with a monogamous partner who tested negative for HIV.
- Vaginal sex with a needle-using partner, using a condom.
High Risk – Unprotected intercourse without a barrier:
- Oral sex with fluid exchange (no barrier).
- Oral sex without a barrier, with a partner who tested positive for HIV.
- Oral sex without a barrier, with a prostitute.
- Vaginal intercourse without a condom.
- Vaginal sex without a condom, with a partner whose sexual history you do not know.
- Vaginal sex without a condom, with a man who has sex with men.
- Vaginal sex without a condom, with a partner who has had sex with a needle-using drug user.
- Anal intercourse without a condom.
- Analingus (rimming, butt licking) without a dam or plastic wrap.
