HIV & Contraception

This tool is designed to give you personalised information about contraception and the choices you have.

First you will be asked a series of questions about your health, any contraception you are using at the moment, and your preferences. Then we’ll use the information you’ve given us to compile a detailed, personal guide for you.

We’ll ask questions about HIV treatment. If this applies to you, you’ll get the most of the tool if you can tell us the names of your anti-HIV drugs (you can check this on their packaging).

Start the questionnaire here or keep on reading below for more information on how HIV & Contraception works.

How HIV & Contraception works

1. Answer a series of short questions

You will be asked a series of questions about your current contraception and what kind of contraception you’d prefer. We’ll also ask some questions about anti-HIV drugs, so you may find it helpful to check this information before starting. You can answer all the questions, or you can skip any questions you don't know the answer to.

There are fewer than 20 questions and it should take about five minutes to complete. You won't be asked for your name.

2. Print, email or save a PDF of your personalised guide

Once you have finished answering the questions, the tool produces a personalised guide, which you can print, save as a PDF or send as an email. We won’t store your email address.

3. Find out more about your contraceptive choices

We’ve designed the personalised guide to give you lots of information about contraception. Based on your answers, we’ll show you the information that we think is most relevant to you.

If you’re taking HIV treatment, there will be detailed information about how your medicines might affect your choice of contraceptive.

There’s quite a lot to read in the guide so you might want to keep it and come back to it later. We’d recommend discussing the points raised in your guide with your healthcare team.

Find out about your contraceptive choices

Are you an HIV-positive woman and want to find out more about contraception?

Yes
No

Are you using any method of contraception at the moment? Please choose all that apply.

If you’re not sure of the name of the contraceptive you use, you may find the information from FPA (www.fpa.org.uk) helpful.

No contraception used
Male condom
Female condom (Femidom)
Diaphragm or cap
Combined pill
Progestogen-only pill (‘mini-pill’)
Patch
Implant
Injections (Depo-Provera)
Vaginal ring
Intrauterine device (IUD, coil)
Intrauterine system (IUS, Mirena)

Are you currently taking HIV treatment?

Yes
No

Do you know the name of the anti-HIV drugs you are taking?

If you know the details of the drugs you take, we will be able to give you more specific information. But we can still provide information if you don’t know the names of the drugs.

Yes
No

Do you take a drug called efavirenz? It is included in the tablets called Atripla or Sustiva.

Yes
No

Do you take nevirapine (Viramune)?

Yes
No

Do you take atazanavir (Reyataz)?

Yes
No

Do you take darunavir (Prezista)?

Yes
No

Do you take the drug lopinavir, which is in a tablet called Kaletra?

Yes
No

Do you take fosamprenavir (Telzir)?

Yes
No

Finally, do you take any of these anti-HIV drugs? They are all from the group known as 'protease inhibitors'.

Indinavir (Crixivan)
Ritonavir (Norvir)
Saquinavir (Invirase)
Tipranavir (Aptivus)
None of the above

With some contraceptive methods, you don’t need to think about using them every day or every time you have sex. Once fitted, they will work for several months or years. When you choose a contraceptive, how important to you is it to get one like this?

Very important
Quite important
Not very important

Some contraceptive methods affect some women’s periods. How important is it for you to continue to have a monthly period?

Very important
Quite important
Not very important

Some contraceptive methods make some women’s periods heavier or more painful. When you choose a contraceptive, how important is it to avoid the risk of this happening?

Very important
Quite important
Not very important

With one contraceptive method, fertility (the ability to have a baby) only returns some months after stopping the contraceptive. When you choose a contraceptive, how important is it to avoid this?

Very important
Quite important
Not very important

Only a few contraceptives protect against sexually transmitted infections and HIV transmission. When you choose a contraceptive, how important is it to have a contraceptive that protects against infections?

Very important
Quite important
Not very important

HIV & Contraception

Published April 2013

Last reviewed April 2013

Next review April 2016

Contact NAM to find out more about the scientific research and information used to produce this tool.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to AbbVie and Bristol-Myers Squibb for funding the development of this resource. They have had no editorial control over its content.

Community Consensus Statement on Access to HIV Treatment and its Use for Prevention

Together, we can make it happen

We can end HIV soon if people have equal access to HIV drugs as treatment and as PrEP, and have free choice over whether to take them.

Launched today, the Community Consensus Statement is a basic set of principles aimed at making sure that happens.

The Community Consensus Statement is a joint initiative of AVAC, EATG, MSMGF, GNP+, HIV i-Base, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, ITPC and NAM/aidsmap
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This content was checked for accuracy at the time it was written. It may have been superseded by more recent developments. NAM recommends checking whether this is the most current information when making decisions that may affect your health.

NAM’s information is intended to support, rather than replace, consultation with a healthcare professional. Talk to your doctor or another member of your healthcare team for advice tailored to your situation.