Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are passed from one person to another during sexual activity. This could be oral, anal, vaginal sex, or any kind of genital skin-to-skin contact with another person. Safer sex means thinking about the risks involved and trying other things instead. We’ve put together some ideas about different types of sex and how risky they are to help you decide.
No form of sexual contact is completely without risk of catching an STI, but non-penetrative contact carries the least risk. This includes;
Gentle fingering or using sex toys is also low-risk providing toys are cleaned or used with a separate condom between partners. Rough fingering, fisting or hard use of sex toys can cause cuts, abrasions or bruising to the delicate lining of the vagina or anus and this increases the risk of infection.
Having sex with a condom is the next best way to protect against catching an STI although it isn’t completely free of risk. Some STIs such as genital warts and herpes can still be passed on, although the likelihood is much lower. Making sure that you are using the condom correctly can reduce the chances of it splitting or coming off during sex, if this happens you may want to seek emergency contraception to avoid pregnancy and you should also have a check-up.
Oral sex is more risky than sex with a condom but less risky than unprotected sex. Herpes, genital warts, chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B can all be transmitted through oral sex. In most scenarios, the person giving oral sex is most at risk. You can make oral sex safer by;
Unprotected vaginal sex puts you at risk of catching most STIs. You can reduce the risk by making sure that you and your partner have had a recent check-up. Many STIs have no visible symptoms so a check-up is the only way to be sure. You can also reduce the risk by limiting the number of sexual partners that you have.
Unprotected anal sex puts you at risk of catching most STIs as well as blood borne viruses such as Hepatitis B. You can reduce the risk by having regular checkups, reducing the number of partners that you have and by getting vaccinated if you are a man who regularly has sex with other men.
Come and visit us at one of our Devon Sexual Health clinics to chat about how we can help.
