Sexual Health

A vaccine is available to help prevent the spread of some types of HPV for people of all genders. Have a click to find out more about it.

Need to check out what your sexually transmitted disease or infection risk might be in a jiffy?

There are instances in which condom use alone - or the use of dental dams and gloves – cannot offer the level of STI protection they can in other instances, with STIs which are transmitted not via fluid exchange, but by skin-to-skin contact: namely two of the most common STIs, HPV and Herpes.

Enough people don’t talk about abortion. Too many people don’t listen to those who do. I’m not talking about conceptually or hypothetically. I’m not talking about discussing this woman or that who you knew that aborted or did not. I’m talking about talking about abortion; intimately, personally. In public, not in secrecy.

HIV is a virus that destroys the immune system and thus weakens the body’s ability to fight disease and infection, even common infections like flus and colds. HIV usually progresses to AIDS. This makes HIV the most dangerous sexually transmitted infection today. It is the fifth leading cause of death for the young under 40 in the United States. At this time, no one has been cured of HIV or AIDS.

Chlamydia is the most common bacterial infection (STI) in the United States, with about 3 million new cases reported annually. Chlamydia (“cla-mid-ee-ah”) is so common in young women that, by age 30, 50% of sexually active women have evidence that they have had chlamydia at some time during their lives.

What’s safer sex? Find out how you can best reduce your risks of STIs and protect your health and how to do it and be supported in it without feeling like the Sex Decency Brigade or bringing on the buzzkill.

Whether you are with a new partner, or are already in a sexual relationship, getting a full STI screening can give you peace of mind and ensure your physical well-being as well as your partners.

Want to know what to expect at your first gynecologists’ or reproductive health exam? We’ve got the lowdown for you here.

When I was 16, due to an irresponsible pairing of an impetuous one-night stand and a few days of partying, I woke up one morning to discover I had mononucleosis and walking pneumonia. As if that wasn’t enough, my period was late.