What is the risk of HIV transmission through oral sex?

Doctor's Answers 1

HIV risk oral sex

Source: http://www.poz.com/pdfs/P04-14p53.risk_transmission.pdf

Here's a great infographic that sums up the risks of HIV transmission from various sexual activities.

Here's another useful tool from the CDC that allows you to calculate your risks of getting HIV, assuming your partner is HIV positive: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/hivrisk/estimator.html

The CDC conducted a systematic review in 2014 to estimate the per act risk of getting HIV through various sexual activities, including oral sex.

They concluded that the risk of getting HIV from oral sex is low, citing a 10-year study of heterosexual couples with opposite HIV statuses where no new infections occurred from oral sex.

The risk may be higher or lower due to the following factors:

1. Whether you are receiving or giving oral sex

Receiving oral sex (having someone’s mouth on your penis or vagina): 0 or close to 0 risk. Saliva is not linked to HIV transmission. There have not been any cases of HIV transmission through receiving condomless oral sex.

Giving oral sex: Increased risk to the partner giving oral sex. There have been several documented cases of HIV infection in people giving oral sex.

2. Whether you are giving oral sex to a man or a woman?

Giving oral sex to a woman: 0 or close to 0 risk.

Giving oral sex to a man: Increased risk. Semen gets into your mouth more easily than vaginal secretions.

3. Whether semen or pre-ejaculate gets in your mouth?

If there is no semen/pre-ejaculate: 0 or close to 0 risk.

4. Oral hygiene of the person giving you oral sex?

Cuts, sores, or bleeding gums can all increase the risk of HIV transmission.

For further reading, this resource is a great reference for the discussion on the specific risks of HIV transmission during oral sex: http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/InSite?page=pr-rr-05

Similar Questions

What are the risks of receiving unprotected oral sex?

With unprotected oral sex, there is a risk of transmission of STDs, particularly for infections like gonorrhoea and herpes simplex virus (HSV). The throat can harbour the bacteria that causes gonorrhoea and this can spread through unprotected oral sex. For HSV infection, the risk of spread is highest if the person has a history of cold sores and has active blisters or ulcers. The risk of spread is significantly less in the absence of active lesions. Viral warts or HPV infection can spread through oral sex too.

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Answered By

Dr Colin Theng

Dermatologist

Do STDs transmit everytime I have sexual intercourse?

Any form of sexual activity with anyone, regardless of gender or type of sexual encounter, carries a chance of passing on a STD. If you think you have a STD, you should abstain from sexual relations and get yourself treated. Even if STD is not transmitted every time you have sex, they can be transmitted any time you have sex.

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