Microbicides have the potential to benefit HIV positive women by enhancing their sexual lives and helping reduce their risk of infection with new or resistant strains of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The development of effective microbicides, which would be user-controlled, is important for women who cannot always negotiate condom use with their male sex partners or who do not wish to use condoms (for instance, those who want to conceive). Ensuring that promising microbicide candidates are safe, affordable, and responsive to the needs of HIV-positive women will require ongoing and targeted research.