- The most important thing to do if you suspect you have been infected by an STI is inform
your partner.
False. The most important thing to do is seek immediate medical treatment. Symptoms of an
STI may never appear, or may go away after a short time, but the infection continues inside the
person’s body. After starting medical treatment, the person should inform his or her sexual
partner(s). In the meantime, it is also important for the infected person to abstain from any
sexual contact until the treatment has been completed.
- Only people who have sexual contact can contract an STI.
False. Babies can contract STIs such as herpes, gonorrhoea, and HIV during pregnancy or delivery
or through breastfeeding.
- Condoms are the most effective protection against the spread of STIs.
3alse. Abstinence from sexual intercourse is the best way to prevent the spread of STIs.
Condoms are the next best thing, but only abstinence is 100 percent effective.
- Using latex condoms will help prevent the spread of STIs.
True. Latex condoms can help prevent the spread of STIs, but they must be used correctly for
every sexual act. Latex condoms are not 100 percent effective because they can occasionally
break or come off during intercourse. Lambskin condoms are ineffective for protection from
STIs and should not be used.
- A woman using oral contraceptives should insist that her partner use a condom to protect
against STIs.
True. Oral contraceptives do not prevent STIs, so a condom would be necessary for protection unless both partners know they are faithful to one another and are currently infection-free.
- Abstinence is the only method of contraception that is 100% risk free.
True. Avoiding sexual activity is the only way to absolutely prevent pregnancy or STIs.
- There is still a significant risk of HIV transmission with condoms, since the pores in the
condoms are large enough for the virus to pass through.
False. HIV cannot pass through latex condoms. The reason condoms are not 100 percent effective
in preventing HIV infection is because they can sometimes come off or break during intercourse
because they are not being used properly. Condoms provide over 10,000 times more protection
against HIV infection than not using a condom. There is a strict manufacturing process
that is followed when making condoms and HIV is too big to pass through latex.