Protect yourself and your partner

It's your responsibility as a sexually active adult to know how to protect your sexual health and also the sexual health of anyone you have sex with. You need to know about:

• safer sex
• pregnancy
• sexually transmitted infection
• what to do if you think you're at risk.

Even if you don't plan to have sex any time soon finding out about safer sex will ensure that you are protected when you do.

Crucial: Safer Sex means always using a condom if you have vaginal, oral or anal sex. Always use a condom with a new sexual partner, even if you are using another form of contraception. Whatever anyone else tells you, using a condom with a new or casual partner is normal.

Take action: Sign up for your Sexual Safety with the Safety Card and get information, advice and free condoms

Related topics: Pregnancy, Contraception

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)

An STI, also called a sexually transmitted disease (STD), is passed from one person to another during sex. Some affect only the genitals (sexual body parts) and the parts of your body that urine passes through, others (like HIV and Syphilis) can go on to damage other parts of the body, and make you very ill. When spread through oral sex an STI can infect the mouth and throat.

STIs, including HIV, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and Chlamydia, are on the rise in the UK, especially among young people. Know the facts:

• You don't have to have full sex to get an STI
• Many STIs show no symptoms at first
• You can get an STI from oral sex
• The best way to find out if you have an STI is to be tested
• An undiagnosed STI can lead to infertility
• Some STIs are fatal if left untreated
• All STIs can be helped by medical treatment

If you are sexually active with more than one person, you should visit a GUM clinic to be tested. GUMs are free, confidential, non-judgmental and available to people of any age. In Oxfordshire, the Harrison Units are your local GUM clinics.

Crucial: Remember, even if you're healthy, you only have to have unprotected sex with someone who has an STI once to get infected.

Visiting the GUM Clinic

There are GUM Clinics in Banbury and Oxford offering a full range of sexual health services. Advice and treatment are free and confidential. You can also go to your GP or a C&SH clinic (contraception and sexual health clinic) who may treat you or may refer you to a GUM clinic. There is also a Young Person's Clinic called Wellsafe for the under 18s.

Key link : The Wellsafe Website from Oxfordshire's Harrison Unit

Should I get checked?

If you are worried that you might have been exposed to a sexual infection, you can go along and get tested. People sometimes chose to do this when they are getting serious with a regular partner, to make sure they are healthy before trying for a baby or stopping using safer sex. Sometimes people just get tested for peace of mind.

Sometimes a GUM clinic will contact you and ask to come in for treatment. This means that you have been named as a sexual contact by someone they are treating for an STI. Don't worry , this is normal and is just about making sure you are healthy. You should always go in and get tested, even if you feel fine. You can easily have an infection and not be aware of it.

Take action: Get tested for Chlamydia, the most common STI

Time to get checked!

These symptoms need to be checked out by a doctor, even if you don't think you're at risk of an STI:

• Unusual discharge from your penis or vagina
• Stinging or burning when you pass water (urinate, pee)
• Rash, sores or warts around your genitals
• Bleeding between your periods, especially after sex
• Bleeding through your penis when you pass water (urinate, pee)

Remember, all STIs can be helped with medical treatment. If you think you might have an STI, get tested as soon as you can.

Crucial: Condoms help provide protection against STIs, and also provide contraception. Find out more about contraception.