STI testing

A primer on accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare in the United Kingdom.

Mycoplasma genitalium (sometimes called Mgen) is a bacterial infection spread through sexual contact. Although it's pretty common now, it isn't diagnosed and treated as often as it should be.

When I started having sex with girls, there was no one cheering, especially not encouraging me to have safer sex. But over the last few years, I’ve finally begun to feel confident with safer sex, and it’s improved my sex life a million percent. I wish I’d gotten comfortable with it sooner.

I have to give you an answer I know you won't like, but there really isn't any other right answer. It very much sounds like you need to get this evaluated, ASAP, by a healthcare provider. Right now. A Z-pack may or may not treat your infection, especially since that class of antibiotics isn't always...

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...

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...

One of the first things you generally want to think about in terms of any problems during or after sex such as you’re having with irritation, is when was the last time you were in to see your gynecologist? I can see from your question that you’ve been to a doctor about the UTIs, and that’s good. But...

If that's truly the case -- if any two people have had NO sexual contact of any kind with other partners -- then, for the most part, either of them having a sexually transmitted infection is highly unlikely. It's never sage to just presume someone has no STIs without having had any testing, but in...

Hi Kayla, While you can be sure that YOU have been faithful, there is no absolute way you can know that your partner has been faithful. Has your partner been tested for gonorrhea or chlamydia in the past? If not, there is no way for you to know that he didn't have it when you started dating. If your...

How about something like this: "Hey, I know we should have talked about this before, but since we've been having sex without condoms, I need us to talk about safer sex now. I don't want either of us to be taking risks when we don't have to, or when we should reduce them, so can we talk about this a...