Take Control of Your Sexual Health | Women’s Health (PrEP to Protect You and Your Baby) | Why PrEP? | More About PrEP Meds | What to Expect at Your Visit | Downloadable Infographics

This information was prepared for you by

Jonathan Shuter, MD, a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Uriel Felsen, MD, an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Raffaele M. Bernardo, DO, an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine

SUMMARY:

What is PrEP?

• PrEP stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
  • “Pre-exposure” means having medicine in your system even before you have sex
  • “Prophylaxis” means the medicine prevents you from getting HIV even if your partner has it

What’s Changed?

• Until 2012
  • The only ways to avoid getting HIV from sex were
    • To not have sex
    • Never have sex with someone with HIV
    • Use condoms properly every single time
  • And still … way too many people still got HIV from sex
• Today, there are more ways to reduce your risk of HIV
  • Newer medications for people with HIV that really work
    • If your partner has HIV, make sure your partner takes HIV meds and has an undetectable HIV viral load | “Undetectable” means that the HIV virus cannot be found in the person’s blood
    • Someone who STAYS undetectable by taking meds the right way can’t give anyone else the virus through sex
  • Take PrEP to protect yourself if you don’t have HIV

More on PrEP

• When PrEP medicine is taken correctly it provides safe and excellent protection against HIV
• IF YOU DON’T TAKE IT, IT CAN’T WORK
• In most states, you cannot get PrEP without a physician prescription | In certain states, pharmacists may provide PrEP to people without a doctor’s prescription

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU GO FOR A VISIT:

The Health Care Team Will Probably Ask You About

• Your sexual history, your sexual preferences, and your sexual risks
  • Don’t be embarrassed
  • These questions are important to help you and your health care team create an HIV prevention plan that works for you to keep you healthy
• Ask you about your other medical history
• Do a physical examination
• Test your blood for
  • HIV test:  You can’t take PrEP if you already have HIV
  • Kidney test to see how your kidneys are working: Needed before starting some PrEP meds
  • Pregnancy test (if you are able to get pregnant). Most PrEP treatments are considered to be safe during pregnancy, but pregnant women should review any medicines that they take with their health care teams.
• Test you for other infections that can be spread through sex
  • These infections are also known as Sexually Transmitted Diseases or STDs | They are also sometimes called STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections)
  • The STDs that you will most likely be tested for are syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia
  • The tests usually involve swabs from the genital, anal, and oral areas | The syphilis test is a blood test
  • Often, patients can collect their own swabs (like Q-tips) from these areas
  • Hepatitis B: Tests for liver infection | Some of the PrEP medicines can cause problems in people who have hepatitis B infection (a type of liver infection caused by a virus)

The Healthcare Team Will Probably Discuss the Following with You

• What is PrEP?
• What are your different PrEP choices?
• How to take PrEP correctly
• What are the side effects to look for?
  • Serious side effects are very rare!
• Safer sex: What are ways to avoid other STDs

Next Steps Before You Leave

• You will likely get a prescription
  • To start PrEP right away or
  • Start taking it after your blood tests come back okay
• Until December 2021, PrEP was only available as pills
  • There is now another choice – an injection that you take every two months
  • Your health care team may discuss with you the choice of pills or injections
• You will get an appointment for a follow-up visit in 1 to 3 months
• As long as you are on PrEP, your health care team will probably need to see you 2 to 4 times a year for a check-up, an HIV test, and STD testing

Learn More – Primary Sources

There are many good websites with information people interested in learning more about PrEP. Here are a few

CDC: PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis)

NIH: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis

New York State Department of Health

PleasePrEPMe (California State)

CDC: PrEP Is for Women

Commercial Support

This educational activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Gilead Sciences

Faculty Disclosures

Dr. Shuter has no relevant financial relationships to disclose

Dr. Felsen has no relevant financial relationships to disclose

Dr. Bernardo has no relevant financial relationships to disclose

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