Info About STIs – HealthyWomen

Medically reviewed by Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., FACOG, NCMP

April 13-19, 2025, is STI Consciousness Week.

Misinformation is lots like an STI — you might cross it on to another person and never even comprehend it.

Myths and assumptions about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been round ceaselessly. Earlier than the web, you most likely heard one thing questionable about STIs out of your greatest pal, who heard it from a cousin, who knew somebody who stated you’ll be able to’t get an STI the primary time you could have intercourse.

Whereas it’s true that you simply can discover respected, fact-based data on-line about STIs, it’s not at all times simple to inform reality from fiction, or whether or not a viral publish about rest room 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 commonest myths about STIs.

Learn: 6 STIs You Must Know About >>

1. “You possibly can’t get STIs from oral intercourse.”

(Purses lips.) You may get STIs from oral intercourse. Oral intercourse is sexual exercise similar 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 can assist cut back the chance for STIs throughout oral intercourse.

2. “Douching after intercourse protects you from STIs.”

This can be a laborious no. Douching after intercourse can’t shield you from STIs. The truth is, 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 weak to an infection.

As a rule, douching messes with the pure stability of your vagina and isn’t advisable for anybody — ever.

3. “You may get chlamydia from a bench on the fitness center.”

You’ve most likely heard this gem on social media, nevertheless it’s extremely unlikely for anybody to get chlamydia from a bench on the fitness center or anyplace (except perhaps you’re getting busy along with your coach on that bench.) For one, chlamydia is a bacterial an infection and the organisms can’t reside exterior the physique for lengthy — particularly on laborious surfaces like a bench. And chlamydia impacts mucosal surfaces — the inside lining of the vagina, rectum and mouth — via intercourse. So, it might be extraordinarily tough for the organism to get the place it must go with out sexual exercise.

4. “You may get an STI from a public rest room seat.”

Getting an STI from a rest room seat can be very, most unlikely. It’s because STIs are handed from individual to individual throughout intercourse or via intimate skin-to-skin contact. Even when a STI was hanging out on a rest room seat, the percentages that it survived lengthy sufficient and one way or the other made it into your physique is slim to none.

5. “You possibly can’t get an STI if you happen to’re pregnant.”

You may get an STI if you happen to’re pregnant. And a few STIs corresponding to syphilis, HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B and genital herpes will be handed on to the newborn throughout being pregnant or childbirth.

For this reason it’s essential to get screened for STIs earlier than getting pregnant or early in being pregnant to deal with or handle any infections.

Learn: FAQs About HIV and Being pregnant >>

6. “Two condoms are higher than one to guard in opposition to STIs.”

Double the condoms aren’t double the enjoyable. Once you layer one condom over the opposite, the supplies rub collectively and that truly makes them weaker and extra prone to break or tear.

7. “STIs solely occur to younger folks.”

Anybody who has intercourse — no matter age — is in danger for STIs. The truth is, the charges of prognosis have been on the rise for folks ages 35 and older. You possibly can cut back the chance for STIs through the use of a condom and/or dental dam each time you could have intercourse. It’s additionally a good suggestion for you and your accomplice to get examined earlier than you do the horizontal mambo.