safer sex

If you feel crampy and bloated, and you didn’t miss your last period, it’s more likely in terms of those symptoms and the timing of things that you’re experiencing PMS symptoms rather than pregnancy symptoms. However, if you’ve been having unprotected intercourse, pregnancy is a very real…

If by “normal” intercourse you mean vaginal intercourse, and both of these kinds of sex were unprotected, then yes, this is an easy way to potentially develop a vaginal bacterial infection. That’s why it’s advised that for couple who want to engage in both kinds of intercourse, they use condoms…

PlaygroundPushover’s question continued: I’m confused about what happens after he’s ejaculated. Preferably I’d be using a condom but like I said I’m on the pill and have been since before we started going out. We’ve both been for STI screenings because we know you can catch STIs through other forms…

Fairies’ question continued: 99% of the time I don’t feel bothered about it. But recently I had my first flare-up since I was infected two years ago and I feel so embarrassed that I let myself contract it. Worse, I row with my boyfriend about it because I feel like he wants to deny he gave it to me…

We get asked about this a lot; about whether once you have a more effective method of contraception than condoms, like a hormonal method or IUD, if they’re still needed to prevent pregnancy. The only right answer to that question, no matter who asks it, is that it really depends on what you and your…

Fox’s question continued: From what I understand, when a woman gets sexually excited, she secretes some kind of lubrication in her vagina. I presume that for STDs, the virus / germ is present in that natural lubricant, and that the contact with that lubricant is what’s dangerous. But a condom covers…

Molluscum contagiosum – a bumpy skin infection – isn’t technically an STI, but can be transmitted through sexual contact. The CDC states that molluscum cases in the United States have been on the rise since 1996.

Maybe you know what safer sex is. But do you also know what it isn’t? Take a minute and fact-check your ideas about what can protect you from STIs and what cannot.

I want to first make a few things clear about any judgments you may be making about yourself or might assume will be made in my answer to you. I don’t like terms like “easy” when they carry derogatory judgments, for the same reason I don’t like terms like “prude” used or internalized that way. If…

You’ve probably heard or thought some things about condom use that might be keeping you or others from using them or from using them consistently, and I’m willing to bet you haven’t heard everything I’m about to say. Even if you’re already using condoms and using them every single time properly, I bet you know someone – a sibling, a friend, a sexual partner – who could stand to hear ten great reasons to use condoms.