WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW
Safe sex is way of lowering your chances of catching a
sexually transmitted disease. This class of diseases, called
STDs for short, includes any infection spread during sex. STDs
include gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV (the AIDS virus), chlamydia,
trichomoniasis, herpes, pubic lice, and genital warts.
Many sexually transmitted diseases can be cured with a week or
two of treatment. If not treated, however, some of these
diseases can cause infertility. Others eventually can be fatal.
You can't tell by looking whether someone has an STD, and many
people don't know they are infected.
Practicing safe sex keeps you and your partner from
sharing body fluids, such as vaginal fluids and semen. These
fluids typically carry STDs. Safe sex does not guarantee that
you'll avoid infection. The only 100-percent certain way to
protect yourself is to never have sex or to sleep with only one
person who is completely faithful to you. However, if you do
have sex with more than one person, having safe sex EVERY TIME
will improve your odds of remaining
infection-free.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
-
Limit your activity to things that do not involve
exchange of body fluids. For example, safe sex
includes:
-
Hugging and body-to-body
rubbing
-
Masturbation alone or with someone
else
-
Massage
-
Dry kissing
-
Sex with the use of a condom
-
Avoid activities that will result in an exchange of
body fluids. The following things are NOT
safe:
-
Mouth-to-mouth kissing (French
kissing)
-
Sharing sex toys
-
Using saliva as a lubricant
-
Sex without the use of a
condom
-
Latex condoms help to prevent the spread of the AIDS
virus. They do not make vaginal, oral, or anal sex completely
safe because they can break. For greatest safety, here are
some important steps to follow:
-
Use only condoms made from latex rubber. Never use
a condom made from animal membranes because germs can get
through them. Birth control pills, diaphragms
(DIE-uh-frams), sponges or foams may stop pregnancy, but
they do not stop diseases.
-
Use a sperm-killing gel (spermicide) along with the
condom. The spermicide should contain at least 5 percent
nonoxynol-9, which can kill the AIDS virus. Some condoms
come with it already on them. Check the package. Never
use a spermicide alone; you cannot rely on it to kill all
the germs.
-
If you use a lubricant, choose a water-based brand
such as K-Y Jelly, Foreplay, or Wet. Don't use Vaseline,
Crisco, baby oil, or cooking oil; they could make the
condom break.
-
If you have oral sex, it is best to use a dry condom.
If you have oral sex without a condom, don't brush or floss
your teeth first. Small cuts in the gums make it easier for
germs to get into the body. You should not let the person
getting oral sex finish in your mouth. To be completely
safe, do not have oral sex at all.
-
Do not have sex with anyone who is at high risk of
getting AIDS or who has had a positive AIDS test. People at
high risk include those who have lots of sex partners and
those who use IV drugs.
-
If you are infected with the AIDS virus, you owe it
to your partners to let them know about it. You should
avoid oral, anal, and vaginal intercourse. If you do have
sex, you must always use a latex condom lubricated with a
spermicide containing at least 5 percent
nonoxynol-9.
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