Is it a law to tell your partner or just a moral issue?
You should discuss herpes with a new sex partner. Doing so not only shows them respect, it gives you both the chance to talk about sexual health and ways to protect yourselves.
As a general rule, no, you do not have an obligation to tell your partner if you have a sexually transmitted disease. There aren’t any federal or state laws making it illegal for you to not tell a partner about herpes (STD) you may have.
Laws on the topic vary from state to state. That being said, it is typically illegal, civilly and criminally, to knowingly or recklessly transmit an STD. Telling someone you have an STD is not the same obligation as knowingly transmitting an STD. Specifically, some states have laws that require you to tell certain people if you are HIV-positive.
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Telling a partner can be difficult
Telling a partner can be difficult. First, have you come to terms yourself with having herpes? If you haven’t, then it’s unrealistic to expect another person to understand.
- How well informed are you?
- Know the basic steps to reduce the risk to your partner.
- Know the facts about herpes?
You want to feel confident and knowledgeable before you can explain the infection to someone else.
Keep these points in mind:
- No sex during outbreaks.
- Herpes can be transmitted without any noticeable symptoms, though, so it’s a good idea to use condoms at all times. Condom use can reduce, but not 100% eliminate, the risks of transmitting herpes and other STIs.
- Daily therapy with an antiviral medication, Valtrex, has shown to reduce transmission rates by about half. Discuss this with your health care provider to see what they might recommend for you.
Many couples (where one partner has herpes and the other doesn’t) manage the virus with minimal impact on their relationship. The two big keys in this are education and communication, and you’ve taken great first steps with both.
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PositiveSingles is one of the most popular dating websites for people suffering from herpes and other STD. It was initiated in 2001. With 1,510,800+ members you are sure to find lots of potentail people around you.
Join and meet nearby people with herpes, browse profiles and chat now!
Know more facts about living and dating with herpes:
- How to have a fulfilling sex life with herpes
- What is your chance of spreading herpes?
- Fear transmission? Try herpes dating sites
- How to handle dating when you have herpes
- How to tell your partner you have herpes
- Overcome the stigma of herpes
- Herpes and getting pregnant: How to protect your baby
- Herpes and HIV
- Do condoms prevent herpes? How likely is it to get herpes with a condom?