3 Ways You Can Prevent STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are infections that you can get from having sex with someone who already has the infection. The causes of STDs are bacteria, parasites, and viruses. These infections often do not cause any symptoms, and can still be passed unknowingly from the infected partner to the other. However, some common symptoms include genital itching, lesions, flu / fever like symptoms and feeling pain / pressure in the lower part of the stomach.
There are many kinds of STDs including Chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, syphilis and HIV.
The important thing to understand and know is that these STDs can be prevented.
3 ways of preventing STDS are:
1. Precautions before having sex
There are some things you can do to reduce your risk of contracting STDs before having sex. This include:
- Limiting the number of sexual partners
- Talking honestly with partners about your sexual history
- Getting tested, along with your partner, before having sex
- Getting timely vaccination against HPV and HBV
If you have been diagnosed with an STD you should tell your partner about it and also explicitly ask your partner if they have had an STD.
2. Practice safe sex
Use a latex condom every time you have sex and use a water-based lubricant. If your sex life involves intercourse, anal or vaginal, make up your mind to never have sex without a condom. If you or your partner is at a high risk of STDs, be consistent about barrier use during oral sex as well. Avoid sharing towels or underclothing to reduce the risk of an STD. Check the expiration date of the condom and make sure that it has an air bubble, which shows it has not been punctured. Dispose the condom properly and never reuse it.
3. Don't drink Alcohol or use drugs before having sex
It's impossible to make responsible choices about your sex life under the influence of drugs or alcohol. When you are under the influence of any one of them, you are not in your mind and are likelier to choose a partner you wouldn't have picked otherwise. In that case, you may be at a higher risk of contracting an STD. Also, if you are on birth control pills and you vomit, the pills could lose some effectiveness.
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