Introduction The HIV epidemic in Peru, a continuing and important public health problem, has been concentrated in MSM from its outset. Despite advances in prevention and treatment of HIV, the epidemic in Peru has come to affect a growing proportion of women, who nowadays represent 1 of every 3 AIDS cases. In order to develop effective strategies for preventing HIV in women, it is important to know the profile of women who become infected.

Methods From November through December of 2011, we interviewd women ages 15–49 who had been diagnosed with AIDS within the previous 2.5 years, and who had received care at one of the largest 10 hospitals in Lima, Callao and Iquitos. The questionnaire was completing using EpiSurveyor in mobile phones, and contained demographic and risk behaviour questions.

Results Of 322 women contacted for the study, 321 (99.7%) answered the questionnaire. The average age was 30 (range 16–49), 61% had a secondary education, 54% were cohabiting with their partners, 61.4% were housewives or unemployed, and 49.5% had monthly family incomes ≤ 200 USD. The median age at sexual debut was 16 (range 7–25), the median lifetime number of partners was 3 (range 1–17), 33% had had anal intercourse with their last partner, 41% knew that their most recent partner had had intercourse with other partners, 82.8% used a condom in their last sexual encounter, 39% had reported an STI in the previous 12 months, and 12.8% had been diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Conclusion Unlike previous reports, the profile of women with HIV in this study reflects high risk arising from her own sexual behaviour.