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HEALTHY YOU!: Let’s Talk about Sex and How to Protect Yourself
*Sex, sex and more sex. These days we are bombarded with sexual images. From shampoo commercials to music videos the underlying themes have sexual overtures. Sexual enticements are everywhere. Thoughts about sexual encounters can produce glamorous images that more often than not exclude the dangers of being irresponsible. So before you get caught up in the hoopla and run out to have a one night stand, know the risks of contracting a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD). Learn how to protect yourself during your expected and sometimes unexpected sexual encounters.
Let’s face it. The only way to truly protect yourself from becoming infected with an STD is to abstain from sexual activity. That means no intercourse or oral sex. Most will probably agree that sexual intimacy plays a very large role in relationships and abstinence, for many, is probably an unrealistic scenario. For this reason, having one sex partner and knowing your partner’s sexual history is very important to your health. Being secure with your partner’s sexual back story is the key to having a normal, healthy sexual relationship that is free from worry. The subject matter may be a little uneasy, so you may want to start the conversation by sharing your sexual experiences with your partner. Be honest.
According to Medline Plus, a source of medical research information that gathers authoritative information from the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), other government agencies and health-related organizations, an STD is a contagious disease that can be transferred to another person through sexual intercourse or other sexual contact. The research also states that some STDs can also be transferred by nonsexual contact with infected tissues or fluids, such as infected blood. For example, sharing needles when using IV (in the vein) drugs is a major cause of HIV and hepatitis B transmission. An STD can also be transmitted through contaminated blood transfusions and blood products, through the placenta from the mother to the fetus, and sometimes through breast-feeding.
Research shows that the following factors increase your risk of getting a sexually-transmitted disease (STD):
Not knowing whether a partner has an STD or not
Having a partner with a past history of any STD
Having sex without a male or female condom
Using drugs or alcohol in a situation where sex might occur
If your partner is an IV drug user
Having anal intercourse
Drinking alcohol or using drugs increases the likelihood that you will participate in high-risk sex. In addition, some diseases can be transferred through the sharing of used needles or other drug paraphernalia. STDs can be spread by people who don't know they are infected. Always use protection every time you have sex, including oral sex, until you are sure you and your partner are not infected with an STD. If you are in a relationship, delay having sex until you are physically and emotionally prepared, have agreed to only have sex with each other, and have both been tested for STDs. Click on the following link to search for safe sex practices (http://medlineplus.gov/).
Here are some questions that research experts recommend that you ask your partner, preferably before being intimate:
Have you been tested for the HIV / AIDS virus?
Asks about the results? How long has it been since you were tested?
Do you have any sexually transmitted diseases?
Were you treated?
How many people have you had sex with?
Have you had sex without a condom?
Have you ever had unprotected oral sex?
Have you had more than one sex partner at a time?
Do you inject illegal drugs or have you had sex with someone who injects drugs?
Have you ever had unprotected sex with a prostitute?
Have you ever had an STD, including hepatitis B or hepatitis C? Was it treated and cured?
Some STDs, such as HIV, can take up to 6 months before they can be detected. According to a research report by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), in 2006, the largest estimated proportion of HIV/AIDS diagnoses among adults and adolescents were for men who have sex with men (MSM), followed by persons infected through high-risk heterosexual contact. And remember, some STDs can be spread when there are no symptoms, this according to a WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise. Even if you and your partner have been tested, use condoms at all times until you and your partner haven't had sex with another person for 6 months. Then get tested again. The safest sex is in a monogamous relationship. Research suggests that each time you add a new sex partner, you are being exposed to all of the diseases that all of their partners may have. Your risk for an STD increases if you have several sex partners at the same time. And, always, use a condom every time you have sex.
Get the facts about HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases by clicking on following links at www.cdc.gov.
Fact Sheet for HIV
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/resources/factsheets/aa.htm
Fact Sheets for Various STDs
http://www.cdc.gov/std/healthcomm/fact_sheets.htm
Tibberly G. Ríchard served as an entertainment writer for EURweb.com for a number of years. She also served as an on air personality with RadioScope, the Entertainment Magazine of the Air. Ms. Ríchard currently does a weekly television segment called The Parents' Corner, and runs a consulting business. She received a BA in Mass Communications from Southern University A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and completed Masters Degree courses in Public Administration from Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and the University of Maryland, College Park. She also received a Certificate of Completion, Charles Hamilton Houston Law School Preparatory Institute, Georgetown University Law Center, Summer Program.
Contact her via tibberlyrichard@eurweb.com, or tgr@vit-com.com. "My greatest joy is my two-year old ‘hand-full’ of a son Caleb W. Cox. He inspires me to be better in every aspect of my life. He is my reason for writing this column. I love you sweetheart. I thank God that you chose me!" Mommy
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