CNWL

Sexual Health Services
in London and Surrey

PrEP for Women

Book into our PrEP for Women clinics at Mortimer Market Centre and Archway Centre here.

What is PrEP?

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It is a treatment taken before potential exposure to HIV, which provides 99%+ protection from the virus when taken correctly. There are several types of PrEP, but the most common is a pill, which can be taken daily for rolling protection, or specifically around the times you are having sex (see ‘How to take PrEP’ below).

Who is PrEP for?

PrEP is available to anyone who can benefit from it, which is anyone with an increased chance of contracting HIV. In 2023, nearly a third of new HIV diagnoses in London were in women, but currently there are very low numbers of women accessing PrEP. At CNWL we want to support women to make a positive choice about whether PrEP is right for them as an HIV prevention tool. If you or your partner/s have multiple sexual contacts and you don’t always use condoms, it’s worth considering if PrEP could help you stay HIV-negative.  

Some examples of women who may benefit from PrEP include:

  • Women whose sexual partners are from countries with higher rates of HIV such as many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean and some Central and South American countries
  • Women whose sexual partners include men who also have sex with other men
  • Trans women
  • Women who do sex work (or whose partners do sex work)
  • Women who inject drugs (or whose partners inject drugs)

This list is not exhaustive, and if you are interested in starting PrEP, we would encourage you to book an appointment to explore your PrEP options.

Where to get PrEP

CNWL launched dedicated PrEP for Women clinics at Mortimer Market Centre (Tottenham Court Road) and Archway Centre (Holloway Road) in order to provide a one-stop-shop where you can access contraception and PrEP in the same appointment – click here to book. However, women are very welcome to book an appointment in any of our general PrEP clinics here.

How to take PrEP

  • To start PrEP, take two pills 2-24 hours before you have sex
  • To continue to achieve effective protection from HIV, take one pill per day, ideally around the same time of day
  • To stop PrEP, continue taking one pill a day for seven days after your last sex

Some people take PrEP daily on an ongoing basis to provide rolling HIV protection. Other people prefer to take PrEP around specific times of sexual activity, such as when they go on holiday, meet new sexual partners, or attend sex parties. Both approaches provide effective protection from HIV.

Find out more about PrEP for women

You can find out more general information about PrEP here:

General information about PrEP:

Guides to PrEP for Women: