How to have sex more safely in 4 simple steps
Have you just started with a new method of contraception? Bravo! The same continues to use condoms.
Many of us have said, or heard a friend say, "welcome contraceptives, goodbye to condoms!" I understand the logic behind this, but as a doctor of young women, I worry. This is the reason: young women have the highest risk of accidental pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Double problem ...
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A study in northern California showed that many young women (between 15 and 24 years old) had problems using condoms and contraceptives with hormones at the same time. The study looked at 1,000 young women who started using a new hormonal contraceptive method. At the beginning of the study, 36% of women used condoms regularly to protect themselves and 5% used condoms and contraceptives (ie, "double protection"). Initially, starting with a new contraceptive method inspired these women to double protection, but as the months went by, the women stopped using condoms, gave up their other contraceptives, or left both. After a year, most were still worried about becoming pregnant or getting an STI, but they did not use condoms or contraceptives. When life gets complicated or we are very busy, it can be easy to get distracted and suddenly find that - like many couples in the study - you are not using protection when you have sex. But the risks speak for themselves:
Women between the ages of 15 and 24 have a 1 in 30 chance of getting a common STI, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea.
Young women have a 1 in 20 chance of becoming pregnant because they have sex at any time during their menstrual period and a 1 in 4 probability near the time of ovulation.
And what can I do?
Luckily there are 4 steps to follow to double the protection:
Talk, talk and talk about condoms. With your partner, with your friends, with whoever wants to listen. If your partner does not like to use them, find out why. Maybe you can solve the problem by looking for condoms made with different materials or with different textures. Or take it with you to your nearby clinic or medical appointment so they can talk with a health care provider about using condoms and contraceptives at the same time. Even if both were promised total fidelity now, some infections take time to manifest. This means that an infection of the past can now manifest itself in the relationship, even if both are faithful. Using condoms every time you have sex is the only way to reduce the chance of infection.
Find the best contraceptive method for you. Try different methods until you find the one that best suits your body and lifestyle. Your health care provider can help you with this process, and make sure you remain protected even as you change to a new method.
Keep using condoms Starting with a hormonal or long-acting contraceptive method helps prevent pregnancy, but you and your partner can also get an infection. Do not stop using condoms just because you started using contraceptives. Unless you are in a monogamous relationship for more than six months and both have been tested and ruled out the possibility of an STI, continue to use condoms.
Do not leave contraceptives without talking to your provider or having an alternative plan. This is where many women get complicated. They used to use condoms, then they started with the pill, then they stopped using condoms and now they forget to take the pill so often that they decided to stop everything, they do not even use condoms again. To avoid frustration and being unprotected, ask your provider when you start with the method what to do if you decide that you no longer like it. I always tell my patients to let me know as soon as possible if they have questions or doubts about the method and are thinking about quitting. Often, side effects can be controlled or disappear over time; or we can find a method that is easier to use or that has fewer side effects. Beyond that, if you stop using contraception, always as a general rule start using condoms immediately and every time you have sex to prevent pregnancy until you find a better method.
In summary:
Double the protection! Use condoms and a highly effective contraceptive method to take charge of your reproductive health.