| HIGH RISK (in descending order of risk) |
| Receptive Anal Intercourse with ejaculation--no
condom |
| Receptive Vaginal Intercourse with ejaculation--no
condom |
| Insertive Anal Intercourse--no condom |
| Insertive Vaginal Intercourse--no condom) |
| Receptive Anal Intercourse with withdrawal prior to ejaculation* |
| Receptive Vaginal Intercourse with withdrawal prior to ejaculation* |
| Receptive Anal or Vaginal Intercourse with a condom
|
| Insertive Anal or Vaginal Intercourse with a condom
|
| Receptive or Insertive Anal or Vaginal Intercourse
with a condom and with withdrawal prior to
ejaculation* |
| |
| SOME RISK (in descending order of risk) |
| Receptive Oral Sex With Men with ejaculation |
| Receptive Oral Sex With Women¹ |
| Insertive Oral Sex With Men or Women with ejaculation |
| Receptive Oral Sex With Men with withdrawal prior to ejaculation* |
| Insertive Oral Sex With Men or Women with withdrawal prior to ejaculation* |
| Receptive Oral Sex With Men with a condom |
Insertive Oral Sex With Men or Women with a condom
(Here's more information about condoms!)
|
| |
| SOME RISK (Depending on intactness of mucous membranes³) NOTE: Risk is not necessarily in descending order! Risk really depends on intactness of membranes, and fluids passed. |
| Mutual Masturbation with internal touching |
| Sharing Sex Toys |
| Anal or Vaginal Fisting |
| Mutual Masturbation with external touching only |
| Wet Kissing² |
| |
| NO RISK |
| Frottage (rubbing genitals while remaining clothed)
|
| Masturbating With Another Person Without Touching
|
| Hugging, Massaging, Dry Kissing |
| Masturbating Alone |
| Abstinence |
UNRESOLVED ISSUES
- * Withdrawal prior to ejaculation
- The role of withdrawal pre-cum in transmission of HIV is
unresolved, according to Deanna E. Grimes, and Richard M. Grimes (1994),
AIDS and HIV Infection; Mosby's Clinical Nursing Series (Saint
Louis, Missouri: Mosby)
- ¹ Dental Dams
- The protection offered by
covering female genitals with a dental dam during oral sex on the woman
is unresolved, according to Grimes and Grimes (1994)
- ² Wet Kissing
- Because the saliva is full of good IgA antibodies and the amount of HIV that lives
in saliva is low, the risk from kissing is considered low; however it is
higher if there is bleeding in the mouth, and may be higher also for
deep kissing. The chances of being infected with HIV from wet kissing
are still unresolved, according to Grimes and Grimes (1994).
OTHER ISSUES
- ³ Mucous Membranes
- The mucosa are the cell lining of organs. The mucosa line the colon, cervix,
and other organs of the body. The Langerhan's
cells of the lymphatic system line the mucous membranes, where they
can intercept invading organisms such as HIV. These cells stimulate the
T cells, lymphatic cells important in the body's immune system.
Unfortunately, a class of T Cells, the T-helper cells or CD4 cells, are
the cells HIV prefers to infect and use for reproduction. Nevertheless,
when the mucous membranes are intact, they act as a barrier between
invading organisms and the blood. The mucous membranes of the rectum,
however, are extremely easy to rupture and tear, and both the mucous
membranes of the rectum and the vagina inevitably experience some
tearing during receptive sexual intercourse. Sexually transmitted diseases and other infections of the reproductive and gential areas can also cause lesions in the mucous membranes.
- Douching
- Douching after intercourse tends to
wash any invading microorganisms higher into the body's cavities, making
the organisms more--not less--infective. In addition, douching with
Betadine (an iodine douche) kills the good flora and fauna in the body,
and should be used only when prescribed by a physician to treat
inflammation caused by excesses of the body's natural fauna and flora.
If you must douche, most health departments say plain vinegar and
water is the gentlest douche. Bathing in a bath with vinegar, baking
soda, or even epsom salts is more effective at cleansing after
intercourse than douching. (Salt naturally draws fluids out of
cells--which can lead to drying if one bathes too often with epsom
salts--but which may help cleanse; Apple Cider Vinegar may destroy the
membranes that surround viruses, according to Mark Konlee [Spring,
2000], Positive Health News(20)--but, in this author's opinion,
Konlee may go too far if he argues that apple cider vinegar alone can
reduce viral load in a person who already has a high viral load and
reduced T-cell count.)
* * *
Any type of fluid exchange, whether the fluid is mucosal fluid, vaginal fluid, semen, blood, or breast milk, and perhaps to some degree, saliva (at least when some blood is also present) even when condoms are used, poses some risk; the above information is a guide to the relative risk of different types of sexual activities.
I'm not really great at discussing safe sex, as, in my old age, I'm a bit prudish. I think Project Inform does a good job of discussing safe sex--if you're looking for more information!!! (Information is a good idea!)