Five Things You Can Do

1. Get screened

If you have a new sexual partner, it is important to get screened for STDs BEFORE you have sex—to protect both you and your partner. Most people who have an STD don’t even know it—there may be no signs or symptoms.

An untreated STD can be very dangerous for your health. Think of getting tested for STDs as something caring you can do with your partner at the start of your relationship. Then if you both test negative, you can relax and enjoy one another without worrying!

While testing is not a 100% guarantee of safety (for example, people are not always honest about their test results) testing is still one of the most important ways you can protect yourself from getting an STD or giving an STD unknowingly to someone else.

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2. “Safer sex”

Until you and your partner test negative for STDs, you should avoid activities that can transmit infection (vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse). While waiting for those test results to come back, you can feel free to kiss, hug, or masturbate each other as these activities are much less likely to spread STDs.
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3. Limit your exposure to STDs.

Having more than one partner or having a partner who has other sexual partners, greatly increases the chances of getting an STD. If we don’t use protection we are basically “having sex” with everyone else our partners have had sex with. And unprotected sexual activity increases our exposure and risk of infection. Always use barrier protection such as a male or female condom.
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4. Look at your partner’s body

Although many STDs have no outward signs, it’s always important to look at your partner’s body before having sex. If you see any signs of an infection—such as rashes, bumps, sores, or discharge—ask your partner if he is aware of the problem. You should seriously consider not having sex, but if you go ahead, know you are taking a risk and be sure to use a condom. Talk to your partner about the importance of getting tested for STDs.
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5. If you think you are infected, avoid any sexual contact

If you think you or your partner may be infected visit your health care provider as soon as possible! Many infections can be cleared up fairly quickly and easily. Untreated STDs can and will affect your health in the longterm, so always seek treatment from a health care provider.

Remember, total abstinence from sexual intercourse is the only sure way to avoid STDs. Not many of us would choose this as our primary option, but it’s nice to know that, through total abstinence, we can avoid getting the majority of these infections. However, sexual abstinence will not prevent STDs from spreading by needle sticks or sharing injectible drug works (needles).
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