Circumcision na wen dem cut di foreskin comot from di penis. E dey change HIV risk for some situations but e no dey change am for oda ones, so e good to sabi exactly who e dey protect.

Wetin di trials find

Randomized trials find say men wey dem don circumcise no too dey get HIV through vaginal sex like men wey dem neva circumcise: dia risk reduce reach about half, or even pass. WHO list circumcision as one of di ways wey men fit take reduce dia risk of HIV. Di calculator dey reduce di estimate for man wey dem don circumcise by 50% wen na him be di insertive partner (di person wey dey enter).

For man wey dey do vaginal sex wit woman wey get HIV and no dey take treatment, di estimated risk for each act na 0.04% (around 1 out of 2,500) if dem neva circumcise am and 0.02% (around 1 out of 5,000) if dem don circumcise am.

Wit partner wey you no know her HIV status, di numbers go low pass, but di effect na di same. For South Africa, for example, di estimate for one act na 0.0023% (around 1 out of 44,000) if dem neva circumcise you and 0.0011% (around 1 out of 89,000) if dem don circumcise you.

Wetin circumcision no dey do

  • E no be full protection. Man wey dem don circumcise fit still get HIV. Condoms, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis: HIV medicine wey you dey take before any exposure to protect yourself) and partner wey dey take treatment wey dey work dey add plenti protection pass.
  • E no dey protect di partners of men wey get HIV. One trial wey dem circumcise men wey don already get HIV find say e no reduce how HIV dey pass to dia female partners.
  • E no dey directly protect di receptive partner (di person wey dem enter). If na you be di receptive partner, wetin matter na weda your partner get HIV, no be weda dem circumcise am.
  • E no fit replace PEP. Afta recent exposure (wen HIV fit don enter your body), say dem circumcise you no be reason to skip PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis: HIV medicine wey you go take afta exposure to stop di virus).

Men wey dey sleep wit men

For gay, bisexual and oda men wey dey sleep wit men, di evidence no too clear. One Cochrane review find say circumcision fit protect men wey mostly be di insertive partner for anal sex (sex for anus). But how e dey help prevent HIV for men wey dey sleep wit men overall still neva sure. Evidence no reach to recommend am for HIV prevention for dis group.

Di receptive partner for anal sex get di highest risk by far, and circumcision no dey change dat one. PrEP, condoms and partner wey im viral load (how much HIV dey di blood) don undetectable (low reach where test no fit see am) na di tins wey dey work here. See HIV risk for gay and bisexual men.

Partner wey dem don circumcise fit reduce your risk?

Sometimes, but for different way. For countries wey HIV dey spread mainly through sex between men and women, men wey dem don circumcise no too dey get HIV from di beginning, becos circumcision don protect dem. Di calculator dey count say male partner wey dem don circumcise, wey you no know im status, get about 50% lower chance to get HIV than man wey dem neva circumcise, and e dey adjust am based on how common circumcision be for each country. Di calculator no dey use dis adjustment for men wey dey sleep wit men.

For woman for South Africa wey do vaginal sex one time wit man wey she no know im status, di estimate na 0.0029% (around 1 out of 34,000) if dem neva circumcise am and 0.0015% (around 1 out of 68,000) if dem don circumcise am.

Dis one only dey change di chance say e get HIV. If man wey dem don circumcise really get HIV, im circumcision no go reduce im chance to pass am.

Wetin to do now

You do sex without condom for di last 72 hours wit person wey get HIV or wey you no know im status? Circumcision no fit replace PEP. Ask about PEP now: you must start am within 72 hours, and e better if na within 24. See how to get PEP.

  • Do test afta possible exposure, for di correct time. See how accurate HIV test be week by week.
  • Use condom wit new partners or partners wey you no know dia status. Condoms dey reduce risk by about 80%.
  • Tink about PrEP if exposure dey happen to you often. E dey protect you weda dem circumcise you or not. Read about PrEP and PEP.
  • You dey tink about circumcision to prevent HIV? Tok about am wit doctor. E na one layer of protection for men wey dey do vaginal sex, e no fit replace di oda ones.