“If I had it to do all over, I would have liked to have gotten to know my partner for about four or five years before having a child with him.”
—Anna, 20, NJ
What are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)?
Sexually transmitted diseases are infections transmitted through sexual contact. STDs generally infect the genital area (penis, scrotum, vulva, and vaginal opening), but can also spread in the anus, or mouth. They can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated.
STDs are spread in two ways. The first is through bodily fluids, including blood, semen, pre-cum fluids, and vaginal secretions. The fluids are often passed from partner to partner during vaginal, oral, or anal sex. So, if you have any type of sex with someone who has an STD, you can get the infection. (Activities you do on your own, like masturbation, doesn’t transmit STDs.)
Some STDs, such as warts or herpes, can also be spread through skin-to-skin contact. This means touching an infected person’s genitals and then touching yourself, or rubbing with no clothes on against a person who has an STD. Oral herpes can also be spread through kissing, if an infected person has herpes-related sores on his or her mouth.
Each year, one in four sexually active teens gets an STD. The only 100-percent, surefire way to avoid infection is to abstain from sex play—vaginal, oral, anal sex and rubbing without clothes on.
If you decide to have sex, the best way to reduce your chances of getting an infection is for both partners to get tested before you get sexual and throughout your relationship, practice safer sex each time you have sex, and choose your partners carefully. The more sexual partners you have, the greater your chances of getting an STD.
Since many people may be infected and not know it, you should always use condoms and other latex barriers—every single time you have sex. For more information on protection, check out: iwannaknow.org, avert.org and SheerGlydedams.com.
Got a question about STDs? Call the CDC's national hotline at 1-800-227-8922, open 24/7.
STDs are spread in two ways. The first is through bodily fluids, including blood, semen, pre-cum fluids, and vaginal secretions. The fluids are often passed from partner to partner during vaginal, oral, or anal sex. So, if you have any type of sex with someone who has an STD, you can get the infection. (Activities you do on your own, like masturbation, doesn’t transmit STDs.)
Some STDs, such as warts or herpes, can also be spread through skin-to-skin contact. This means touching an infected person’s genitals and then touching yourself, or rubbing with no clothes on against a person who has an STD. Oral herpes can also be spread through kissing, if an infected person has herpes-related sores on his or her mouth.
Each year, one in four sexually active teens gets an STD. The only 100-percent, surefire way to avoid infection is to abstain from sex play—vaginal, oral, anal sex and rubbing without clothes on.
If you decide to have sex, the best way to reduce your chances of getting an infection is for both partners to get tested before you get sexual and throughout your relationship, practice safer sex each time you have sex, and choose your partners carefully. The more sexual partners you have, the greater your chances of getting an STD.
Since many people may be infected and not know it, you should always use condoms and other latex barriers—every single time you have sex. For more information on protection, check out: iwannaknow.org, avert.org and SheerGlydedams.com.
Got a question about STDs? Call the CDC's national hotline at 1-800-227-8922, open 24/7.
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Your Comments
question
Posted by: girly92 on Aug 10th, 2008 2:00pm
my partner and i lost our virginity to eachother and i give
unprotected oral and when we have protected sex (w/
condom)im i just basically protecting from pregnancy?
sti's: Response
Posted by: StacieS on Sep 11th, 2007 12:31pm
Yep, you need to get those checked out by a health care
professional. Even though they don't hurt it is best to get
a check-up. You can go to your regular doc, to a
gynecologist or to a clinic. Only clinics at
www.sexetc.org/page/get_tested have policies that explicitly
prohibit them from talking to your parents/anyone about your
health care. So if confidentiality is important to you, go
there. Otherwise, use your regular doc or gyn.They probably
won't involve parents but the bill may go to them.
sti's
Posted by: elinor on Sep 10th, 2007 9:29pm
i have these white little bumps around my clit i was
wondering if thats normal? but they dont hurt or anything
they just look a bit different
warty thingy: answered
Posted by: StacieS on Jul 2nd, 2007 5:53pm
No - the warty thingy on your toe doesn't have anything to
do having oral sex. Warts are really common anywhere on your
body. A specific kind of wart is passed sexually and can be
found in the genitals. Just like the wart on your toe,
genital warts can be removed at a doctor's office.
warty thingy
Posted by: RubyCarno on Jun 30th, 2007 3:35pm
it says up there something to do with warts, well the other
day me and my boyfriend had oral sex and i found a wart on
my toe, has that got anything to do with it??
Re: small red bumps
Posted by: rbarar on Jun 7th, 2007 12:01pm
If you are both virgins, it is not likely for either of you
to have an STD. But, it is possible to get an STD from oral
sex, so if you are concerned about the red bumps, get them
checked out by a gynecologist or go to a clinic. If you have
other sexual health questions, please visit the Forums or
Ask the Experts.
small red bumbs
Posted by: silverpearls7 on May 27th, 2007 2:35pm
I have only gotten oral once, and I'm a virgin so is he. But
I have red bumbs around my vagina. they are very small but
Im wondering is it possible I get them from when I shave my
panty-line...that is where the bumbs appear.
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RE: question
Posted by: DanR on Aug 11th, 2008 12:47pm
Condoms for oral sex will help reduce your risk of STDs, so
it is always a good idea for your boyfriend to wear one if
you are performing oral sex on him. If he is performing
oral sex on you, you should use a Sheer Glyde Dam to reduce
the risk of STDs. It is also important to use condoms for
anal intercourse for the same reasons. For penile-vaginal
intercourse, a condom will help reduce the risk of both STDs
and unwanted pregnancy. Abstinence is the only 100% safe
way to avoid both.