Sexual health
It is essential to practice safe sex to protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and from any unwanted pregnancies
- An STI can be either a viral or bacterial infection that is passed from one person to another through unprotected sexual activity
- Not all STIs have symptoms. Some infections don’t show signs for weeks or months and some can have symptoms that can appear and then go away
- The only way to know if you do have an STI is to get tested
- Without getting tested you can have an STI and pass it on to someone else
Condoms
- Safe sex involves using a condom correctly every time you have sex
- If you are aged 13 to 25 you can get free condoms by signing up to the C-Card initiative
Testing
- If you have sex regularly with different people, it is recommended to get tested every 3 months
- Men who have sex with men should get tested every 6-12 months and every 3 months if they are having unprotected sex
- It is also recommended to test for STIs when you change partners
- You don’t need to have lots of sexual partners to be at risk of an STI – any sexual activity without a condom could result in an STI
- STI testing is quick, easy, painless, and confidential and all STIs are treatable
- If you are aged 16 or over, you can order a STI kit to your home