Updated April 13, 2015.

Written or reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Board.

HIV prevention is not just about following the rules. It's about knowing who you are, what you believe, how you react, and when to act whenever making decisions about HIV. It requires an informed, holistic approach—one that enables you to do more than just "roll the dice," but to create a lifelong framework by which protect yourself and others from HIV.

When building a personal prevention strategy, there are seven things you should always ask yourself:

1. What Activities Are of "High Risk" and "Low Risk" for HIV?

When it comes to HIV prevention, the question that most people will ask is: "Can I get HIV from [BLANK]?" The truth is there remains a lot of misconceptions about HIV transmission—often underestimating, but sometimes even overestimating potential risk. Informed prevention starts by getting the facts straight, understanding the modes of transmission, and identifying which activities put you, as an individual, at personal risk.

2. Do I Know How to Use Condoms Correctly?

There is no reason to be lax when it comes to condoms. Condoms are still the best, proven method for HIV prevention short of complete abstinence. And despite what some might tell you, the main reason that condoms fail is not because of the condom, but because of incorrect and/or inconsistent use. Ultimately, safer sex means using a condom consistently each and every time you engage in sexual activities.

3. What Should I Do If I Think I Have Been Exposed to HIV?

If you believe you may have been exposed to HIV, either through unprotected sex or other high-risk activities, there are medications that can greatly reduce the risk of infection called post-exposure prophylaxis (or PEP).

Research has shown that PEP can reduce the risk of HIV by up to 81% if started as soon as possible after exposure. The bottom line is don't delay.

4. I'm HIV Negative. How Effective Is PrEP in Preventing HIV?

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) is an HIV prevention strategy whereby the daily use of antiretroviral medications can significantly reduce an HIV-negative person's risk of acquiring HIV. The evidence-based approach is considered an important part of an overall HIV prevention strategy, as well as a means by which to reduce infection rates within at-risk populations (including intravenous drug users).

5. I'm HIV Positive. Does HIV Therapy Reduce the Risk of Infecting My Partner?

Treatment as Prevention (or TasP) is an evidence-based approach by which HIV-infected persons with an undetectable viral load are far less likely to transmit the virus to an uninfected partner. Studies have shown that an HIV-infected person on successful antiretroviral therapy is up to 96% less likely to infect a partner in a serodiscordant relationship.

6. How Can I Prevent My Baby from Getting HIV During Pregnancy?

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (pMTCT) encompasses all stages of pregnancy, from antenatal to postnatal care. Key to its success is early intervention. With appropriate perinatal care, including the provision of antiretroviral therapy for both mother and child, the risk of transmission is now less than 2%.

7. I'm Negative and My Partner is Positive. Can We Still Have a Baby?

Nearly half of all HIV-affected couples are serodiscordant, meaning that one partner is HIV-positive while the other is HIV-negative. With major advances in antiretroviral therapy, serodiscordant couples have far greater opportunities to conceive than ever before—allowing for pregnancy while minimizing the risk of transmission to the uninfected partner.