29% of adolescents who were previously sexually active resumed sexual activity during the healing period, had on average two partners and during the healing period used condoms inconsistently

Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is an integral part of the South African government’s response to the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Following circumcision, it is recommended that patients abstain from sexual activity for six weeks, as sex may increase the risk of female-to-male HIV transmission and prolong the healing period.

From 2011-2013, HEARD undertook a study, in collaboration with the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, in the district of uMgungundlovu, KwaZulu-Natal, investigating the resumption of sexual activity during the healing period among a cohort of school-going adolescents. The results show that 29% of adolescents who were previously sexually active resumed sexual activity during the healing period, had on average two partners and during the healing period used condoms inconsistently. Additionally, adolescents who were sexually active during the six week healing period were more likely to consume alcohol than their counterparts who did not resume sex during the six week healing period.

These findings suggest that adolescents who have sex during the healing period greatly increase their risk of contracting HIV following circumcision, especially in a context of high HIV prevalence. Those bodies tasked with implementing VMMC procedures must therefore ensure that targeted recipients are well-versed in the risk of early sexual resumption post the procedure and should strongly advocate for the continued use of condoms.