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PrEP for Women
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is medicine that is highly effective at preventing HIV from sex or injection drug use when used as prescribed. PrEP is for everyone at risk for getting HIV! PrEP can stop HIV from taking hold and spreading throughout your body. It is highly effective for preventing HIV if used as prescribed, but it is much less effective when not taken consistently. And remember, PrEP protects you against HIV but not against other STDs.
There are more HIV prevention options than ever before. Talk to your partners, friends, and health care provider about PrEP.
PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV.
- PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed.
- Although there is less information about how effective PrEP pills are among people who inject drugs, we know that PrEP pills reduce the risk of getting HIV by at least 74% when taken as prescribed. Currently, PrEP shots are not recommended for people who inject drugs.
- PrEP is less effective when not taken as prescribed.
Talk to your health care provider if you think PrEP may be right for you. PrEP can be prescribed only by a health care provider.
- Before beginning PrEP, you must take an HIV test to make sure you don’t have HIV.
- While taking PrEP, you’ll have to visit your health care provider every 3 months for
- follow-up visits,
- HIV tests, and
- prescription refills.
- Ask your health care provider about self-testing and telehealth services for follow-up visits.
If you don’t have a doctor, you can use the HIV Prevention Services Locator to find a PrEP provider and other HIV services near you.
There are no known interactions between PrEP and hormone-based birth control methods, e.g., the pill, patch, ring, shot, implant, or IUD. It is safe to use both at the same time.
If you have a partner with HIV and are considering getting pregnant, talk to your doctor about PrEP if you’re not already taking it. PrEP may be an option to help protect you and your baby from getting HIV while you try to get pregnant, during pregnancy, or while breastfeeding.
Most insurance plans and state Medicaid programs cover PrEP. There are also other programs that provide PrEP for free or at a reduced cost:
- Ready, Set, PrEP makes PrEP medication available at no cost to those who qualify.
- Co-pay assistance programs help lower the costs of PrEP medications. Income is not a factor in eligibility.
- Some states have PrEP assistance programs. Some cover medication, some cover clinical visits and lab costs, and some cover both.
Additional Health Information
- Learn more about whether PrEP is right for you
- HIV and pregnant women, infants, and children
- HIV Risk Reduction Tool
- Information about HIV self-testing
- Information about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) during pregnancy
- More health information about pregnancy and delivery
Even more resources and information!
- Black AIDS Institute’s Black Women and PrEP
- DC’s PrEP awareness campaign for all women
- Planned Parenthood of Greater New York: PrEP for Women Too Campaign
- Sister Love’s PrEP resources for women
Partner and Clinician Resources
- Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign resources
- CDC HIV Nexus– one-stop resources for clinicians
- Fact sheet about women and PrEP [PDF – 98 KB]
- PrEP Is for Women [PDF – 3 MB]
