HIV In Malaysia For Women

Have you been having unprotected sex? As a woman, you should always take precaution when you have an active sex life. If you’re wondering about the symptoms of HIV in Malaysia for women, it’s pretty much the same for everyone.

For the uninitiated, women are able to contract HIV just like men. HIV is pretty common and it’s better to be aware of the symptoms so that you can detect it right away. 

See Also: HIV Test Malaysia: 5 Things You Need To Know About HIV & Where To Get The Testing Kits

If you have no clue what HIV is and the signs, read on to find out more.

What is HIV? 

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus which attacks your body’s immune system which fights off any infections. 

The early stages of HIV is when most people don’t notice any symptoms at all. Unfortunately, the symptoms start to show up only later on which in some cases might be too late. 

However, if you have unprotected sex or share needles with more than one person, it’s always advisable to get yourself checked just in case. 

How can you contract HIV? 

You can contract HIV through a few ways such as: 

• Sharing of needles (namely drugs) 
• Sexual contact with a person who already has HIV 
• Blood contact with a person who already has HIV
• Through pregnancy or breastfeeding 

What are the common symptoms of HIV in Malaysia for women? 

There are quite a few HIV symptoms that occur in women but we listed out the major ones:

1. Menstrual cycle changes

Women with HIV tend to experience either light or heavy periods. However, some women miss their period too, especially when they are experiencing heavy weight loss.

But one thing to take note is that menstrual changes are quite common, so it might not necessarily be HIV. You should still get a HIV screening to double confirm whether you have HIV. 

2. Lower abdominal pain 

It might be a sign that you have pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is when you have an infection in your fallopian tubes, uterus or ovaries. 

If you have a PID, it would follow by irregular bleeding as well as pain during vaginal sex or when you urinate. 

3. Fever

Your body is trying to fight off HIV, hence why you will have fever as your body is trying to kill off the weaker viruses (thus having a higher body temperature). 

Though fever is quite common, it’s still safer to get yourself checked with a HIV test kit.

4. Sore throat

Another one of the common HIV symptoms is a terrible sore throat. Your throat will be inflamed because of your natural body response to a viral infection. 

Sore throat occurs even when you have the normal flu, but if you’re worried, just get an HIV test done to be one the safe side.

5. Yeast infection 

When you contracted HIV, one of the common symptoms would be yeast infection. The signs of yeast infection is secreting thick discharge from your vagina along with itchiness. 

Other than the vagina, yeast infection could also occur in the mouth whereby there will be several white patches on the tongue.

6. Rashes or Skin Sores

The common symptoms of HIV would be rashes, although you can get rashes due to other causes as well. But if you notice any kind of sore around your genitals area or the mouth. It could be HIV. 

7. Extreme weight loss 

When you encounter severe weight loss all of the sudden, it’s actually one of the more advanced signs of HIV due to the fact that your immune system is quite low. 

No matter how much you eat but you’re still not gaining weight, you should definitely consider getting a HIV test. 

How does HIV or AIDs affect women compared to men? 

There are different signs that affect only women such as: 

• Changes in menstrual cycles
• Menopause 
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Yeast infections in the vagina

Another thing to take note is that a woman’s vagina tends to be more sensitive than men, hence why it can get a tear easily, enabling HIV to enter the bloodstream. 

How to treat HIV in Malaysia for women and is it curable? 

We know it’s sad but unfortunately, there is no cure to HIV. Once you’re HIV positive, you are positive for life. However, there are several medications and treatments to treat it by reducing the spread of the virus. When you undergo treatment, those who have HIV are able to live much longer. 

References:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323835
https://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/hiv-symptoms-men-women
https://medlineplus.gov/hivaidsinwomen.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/symptoms-women