HIV/AIDS: When to Seek Medical Advice

If you think you may have been infected with HIV or are at risk of contracting the virus, seek medical counseling as soon as possible. Tests are available that can determine your status. Thinking about being tested for HIV infection is frightening for most people. But remember that testing itself doesn't make you HIV-positive or HIV-negative. Testing is important both for your own health and to prevent transmission of the virus to others.

You can be tested by your doctor, or at a hospital, the public health department, a Planned Parenthood clinic or other public clinics. Many clinics don't charge for HIV tests. Be sure to choose a place in which you feel comfortable and that offers counseling before and after testing. Don't let concern about what people may think stop you from being tested. For a referral, or to make an appointment for an HIV test at a Planned Parenthood clinic near you, call (800) 230-PLAN, or (800) 230-7526. You can also contact your local or state health department.

Keep in mind that HIV/AIDS tests may be either anonymous or confidential. A confidential test means that if your test is positive, the results will likely be reported to your state health department, but won't be released to anyone else without your permission. In an anonymous test, your name isn't recorded and no one but you can ever learn the test result. Not all states have anonymous testing, but most providesome type of confidential testing. Contact the National AIDS Hotline at (800) 342-AIDS, or (800) 342-2437, or your state health department to find out more about the laws governing HIV reporting in your state.

If you're pregnant, you may want to get tested even if you think you're not at risk. If you are HIV-positive, treatment with anti-retroviral drugs during your pregnancy can greatly reduce the chances you'll pass the infection to your baby.

If you engage in a high-risk behavior such as unprotected sex or sharing needles during intravenous drug use, get tested for HIV every three to six months.