Using condoms can help prevent STIs like HPV, genital herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV. They can also prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Women should use hormonal birth control (like the pill, mini-pill, vaginal ring or long-acting reversible contraception or LARC) and condoms at all times to protect against unplanned pregnancy. Many STIs have no symptoms, so getting tested is really important – This piece of text is the creation of the portal team https://sexxxnet.com.
1. Take an STD test
When you don’t use protection for sex, you can get a sexually transmitted disease (STD). This can cause serious problems for your health and affect any future relationships. STDs can be spread through vaginal, oral and anal sex as well as unprotected intimate contact such as heavy petting. The incubation period for STIs can vary depending on the type of infection you have, which is why getting tested is so important.
Testing for STIs involves a quick and simple blood test or fluid sample. The results can tell you if you have a viral or bacterial STI, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. The good news is that most STIs can be treated with medication and some can even be cured.
The best way to prevent STIs is to always use condoms for vaginal, oral or anal sex, and avoid sharing needles. If you have a partner, talk openly with them about sexually transmitted infections and diseases. This will help to avoid unprotected sex in the future. Condoms don’t protect against all STIs, so you should still get tested regularly. Our Online Doctor service can provide you with an emergency contraceptive pill and STI test quickly and easily. Find out more here. Alternatively, you can visit your local pharmacy or supermarket to buy a home STI test. Be sure to read the instructions carefully, as some STIs require you to wait a certain amount of time before taking a test.
2. Take a pregnancy test
If you suspect you may be pregnant, it’s important to take a pregnancy test. These are available in most pharmacies and supermarkets, or you can visit a sexual health clinic or GP practice. Pregnancy tests work by measuring the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which your body produces when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. Pregnancy tests can tell you if you’re pregnant as early as six days after unprotected sex, but waiting a week for the most accurate results is recommended.
If your sex occurred during the window of time when you’re most likely to conceive, wait a few weeks for a result (or at least a day after your next period is due). This also applies to women who have irregular periods.
In the meantime, there are things you can do to help reduce your chances of getting an unwanted pregnancy and any complications that might come with it. Men should also think about how they can use contraception to reduce the chance of unprotected sex, whether this is condoms, the pill, the diaphragm with spermicide, or the implant or injection.
It’s also a good idea to talk with your partner about what happened, how you might have prevented it in future and to consider other forms of birth control, such as the morning-after pill or an IUD.
3. Talk to your partner
A big part of a healthy relationship is having open and honest communication. If you talk about your sex plans and what makes you uncomfortable, it can be easier to find a way to compromise so that both of you feel safe and satisfied.
Having a conversation about condom use before you get physical can help keep things from getting messy in the bedroom. It may seem scary or awkward at first, but if you care about your partner and want to protect yourself, it will be worth it. It’s important to understand your partner’s motivations for not using a condom, so be sure to listen and be understanding. However, if they continually disregard your needs and boundaries, that’s a red flag that it might not be the right relationship for you.
You can also talk about other methods of protection with your partner, like birth control pills, shots, the “morning after pill” or a copper IUD. Having a plan for what to do if a condom breaks or you forgot to take it is another good idea. Emergency contraception is easy to get and available in a drugstore, but you will need to act fast. If you and your partner are both comfortable with it, consider having a birth control consultation with your GP to learn more about the options for you and your partner.
4. See your GP
Getting checked for STIs is important because most of them can be treated. If you think you might have an STI, go to your GP or a sexual health (or genitourinary medicine, or GUM) clinic straight away. These are places you can go to get free, confidential advice and testing, even if you’re under 16. There are also lots of other places where you can get tested for some STIs, like local sexual health clinics, pharmacies, or young people’s services.
The GP or nurse will ask you questions about your sexual history and symptoms, and will do a pelvic exam. This will include checking for the possibility of a sex infection or an abnormal vaginal discharge, or both. They may also do a blood test to check for pregnancy and certain STIs.
It’s important to be honest with your GP, as it will help them decide what tests you need. The GP might recommend PEP to prevent HIV, especially if you’ve had unprotected sex, or if the condom split or came off during sex. They might also recommend contraception like the pill, a diaphragm with spermicide, or a coil. It’s also worth asking about long-term methods of birth control like implants, injections and the IUD. These can all prevent pregnancy and many STIs. But remember, condoms are the best method of protection against both pregnancy and STIs.
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