While enjoying sexual activity is an important part of life, it’s also important to know how to protect yourself and maintain your sexual health.
Keywords: sexual health, sexual health in Singapore, Singapore sexual health
Most of us want to enjoy life, including the many pleasures that it offers. However, most of us also want to live long and healthy lives. This makes it necessary to know how to manage the risks involved with certain pleasures. For example, we want to enjoy our food, but if we indulge too much in sweet foods, our health will suffer.
Similarly, most people want to enjoy sex, and they should certainly feel free to do so. However, in Singapore, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise. Some of these infections are treatable, but others may be lifelong and can have serious consequences. That makes it important to know how to protect yourself.
How to Prevent STIs
The only surefire way to prevent STIs is to completely avoid having sex. However, this also prevents the enjoyment of sex and the deepening of a romantic relationship that it can bring. You may feel that abstinence is the right course for you, for some or all of your life. However, you may also want to know how to protect your sexual health while still having sex.
A mutually monogamous sexual relationship will also prevent you from getting STIs. If either partner has ever had sex before the relationship begins, then that partner should be screened for STIs before the couple engages in sex. That way, any asymptomatic infections can be detected and treated before they’re passed on to the other partner. Of course, you will also need to consider some form of birth control.
How to Make Sex Safer
If you aren’t in a mutually monogamous relationship, then condoms can make sex safer. A condom can prevent those diseases that are transmitted in the bodily fluids, including HIV, hepatitis B, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. However, those diseases that are transmitted via direct contact with infected areas will only be partially prevented through condom use, because a condom doesn’t cover everything. These diseases include syphilis, herpes, and genital warts.
Condoms also must be used correctly to work. Put on the condom before beginning sex, rather than partway through; diseases can be transmitted in the pre-ejaculate as well as in vaginal fluid. Condoms should never be stored in a warm place, including in a car (which gets hot when outside in the sun) or in your pocket, because the heat breaks down the latex and can lead to condom breakage. The condom should be rolled on gently so as to avoid tearing it; if it’s at all torn, even just a tiny hole, then it will fail to protect you and you should use a new one.
A condom must be used every single time you have sex; it only takes one sexual act to transmit a disease or to cause pregnancy. Use condoms during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, as all of these can transmit STIs. If performing oral sex on a woman, you can use a dental dam (which is a sheet of latex) or simply a piece of plastic wrap as a shield.
Regular screening for STIs is recommended once a year for everyone who has new or multiple sexual partners. Even if you believe that all of your partners were healthy, screening is a good idea, because it’s common for people with STIs to be asymptomatic.
References
Sexual health at Shim Clinic, Singapore