Medically reviewed by Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., FACOG, NCMP
April 13-19, 2025, is STI Awareness Week.
Misinformation is quite a bit like an STI — chances are you’ll move it on to another person and never even realize it.
Myths and assumptions about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been round without end. Earlier than the web, you most likely heard one thing questionable about STIs out of your finest buddy, who heard it from a cousin, who knew somebody who stated you possibly can’t get an STI the primary time you’ve gotten intercourse.
Whereas it’s true that you simply can discover respected, fact-based info on-line about STIs, it’s not at all times simple to inform truth from fiction, or whether or not a viral publish about bathroom seats is true (extra on that later).
In an effort to unfold the phrase — not misinformation — right here’s the reality behind 7 of the most typical myths about STIs.
Read: 6 STIs You Need to Know About >>
1. “You’ll be able to’t get STIs from oral intercourse.”
(Purses lips.) You may get STIs from oral intercourse. Oral intercourse is sexual exercise identical to vaginal and anal intercourse.
The excellent news is that dental dams (a chunk of plastic that goes over the vagina or anus) and condoms might help cut back the chance for STIs throughout oral intercourse.
2. “Douching after intercourse protects you from STIs.”
This can be a arduous no. Douching after intercourse can’t shield you from STIs. In reality, douching could improve the chance for STIs as a result of it removes good micro organism together with unhealthy micro organism within the vagina, which makes you extra susceptible to an infection.
As a rule, douching messes with the pure stability of your vagina and isn’t beneficial for anybody — ever.
3. “You may get chlamydia from a bench on the health club.”
You’ve most likely heard this gem on social media, however it’s extremely unlikely for anybody to get chlamydia from a bench on the health club or wherever (until possibly you’re getting busy along with your coach on that bench.) For one, chlamydia is a bacterial an infection and the organisms can’t stay exterior the physique for lengthy — particularly on arduous surfaces like a bench. And chlamydia impacts mucosal surfaces — the inside lining of the vagina, rectum and mouth — by intercourse. So, it will be extraordinarily troublesome for the organism to get the place it must go with out sexual exercise.
4. “You may get an STI from a public bathroom seat.”
Getting an STI from a bathroom seat can be very, impossible. It’s because STIs are handed from individual to individual throughout intercourse or by intimate skin-to-skin contact. Even when a STI was hanging out on a bathroom seat, the chances that it survived lengthy sufficient and by some means made it into your physique is slim to none.
5. “You’ll be able to’t get an STI in the event you’re pregnant.”
You may get an STI in the event you’re pregnant. And a few STIs akin to syphilis, HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B and genital herpes could be handed on to the child throughout being pregnant or childbirth.
Because of this it’s vital to get screened for STIs earlier than getting pregnant or early in being pregnant to deal with or handle any infections.
Read: FAQs About HIV and Pregnancy >>
6. “Two condoms are higher than one to guard towards STIs.”
Double the condoms will not be double the enjoyable. While you layer one condom over the opposite, the supplies rub collectively and that really makes them weaker and extra prone to break or tear.
7. “STIs solely occur to younger folks.”
Anybody who has intercourse — regardless of age — is in danger for STIs. In reality, the charges of analysis have been on the rise for folks ages 35 and older. You’ll be able to cut back the chance for STIs by utilizing a condom and/or dental dam each time you’ve gotten intercourse. It’s additionally a good suggestion for you and your companion to get examined earlier than you do the horizontal mambo.
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