If my partner and I are both virgins, is there any way we could have an STD?

If neither of you has had any kind of sex, then it’s unlikely. But the tricky part is defining “virgin.”

STDs can spread through oral, vaginal and anal sex. They can also be passed through certain types of sexual skin-to-skin touching like when you rub bodies with no clothes on. So, when you and your partner use the word “virgin,” make sure you both mean the same thing. There is very little risk for STDs if neither of you has had any sexual experience at all.

STDs can spread when people share needles and from mother to child during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. Even if a person has had no sexual experiences, they could have an STD from using needles or from their mother if she was infected.

If you’re both virgins, it’s still a good idea to get in the habit of using condoms each and every time you have sex. Condoms provide protection from pregnancy and STDs and even though you may not have concerns about them now, it’s a good habit to get into.

For more information on STDs, check out these Sex, Etc. stories.

Got a question about STDs? Call the American Social Health Association’s national hotline at 1-919-361-8488. The hotline is open 8 a.m.–8 p.m. EST.