Yes! Anyone can take PrEP, regardless of their gender. This includes cis women, trans women, trans men and non-binary people who were assigned female at birth (AFAB). Whether PrEP is right for you will depend on your individual HIV risk.
You may be a good candidate for PrEP if:
- You’re a trans woman and your sex partner(s) were assigned male at birth (AMAB)
- Your sex partner(s) are AMAB and their sex partner(s) are AMAB
- You do in-person sex work
- Your sex partner(s) are from a country with high HIV rates
- You share equipment to inject drugs
- Your sex partner(s) have HIV and their viral load is detectable*
* Viral load refers to the amount of HIV in someone’s blood. If someone is HIV-positive and on effective treatment, their viral load can drop so low it wouldn’t be detected on a HIV test. This is known as “undetectable”. When someone is undetectable, they cannot pass on HIV during sex.
For people who have vaginal sex, it takes longer for PrEP to give you full protection compared to anal sex. PrEP gives full protection in vaginal tissue after 21 consecutive daily doses (three weeks). While you’re waiting, you can use condoms to protect yourself against HIV.
Research has shown that PrEP is safe to take before, during and after pregnancy (i.e. when breastfeeding). It’s still a good idea to tell to your clinician if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, so they can ensure you stay healthy.