Today’s post focuses on preventing HIV transmission in discordant couples, or “serodiscordant couples,” in which one member of the couple is HIV-positive and the other is not. The first and perhaps simplest way to reduce rates of transmission in discordant couples is the use of barrier methods, such as condoms. However, condoms can–and sometimes do–break….
Wow. You just met Mr. Wonderful and he informs me that you has genital herpes. What should you do? This is quite a common question in sexual health clinics. Let’s start with checking your herpes status. Remember, 45 million Americans have genital herpes and its estimated that only 10 – 20% of those folks know…
First off, good for you for taking charge of your sexual health…it’s always best to ask for information, rather than make assumptions the might result in potentially serious health risks. But don’t fear a good-night kiss. Rest assured, catching a sexually transmitted infection through kissing is extremely unlikely…with a few exceptions. Avoid kissing anyone with…
Many people assume that HIV and AIDS are interchangeable terms. While it is true that HIV can eventually lead into AIDS, it is not always true that if you contract HIV you will also develop AIDS. HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is an infection that attacks the body’s immune system. If left untreated, HIV can…
Some women and their sexual partners have experienced a release of fluid at or near the point of orgasm that they say intensifies their sexual experience. Many women embrace it as a positive and pleasurable part of their sexual response – especially if their partners do too. Others wonder if they are going to pee…
The CDC recommends that every person between the ages of 13 and 64, who is sexually active, should be tested at least once in their lifetime for HIV. There are many different places you can get tested for HIV such as a doctor’s office, a private laboratory, a mobile testing unit or a home test….
Are you concerned you may have been exposed to an STD? It’s important to remember though that some STDs will not show up on tests right away. When someone is exposed to an infection there is generally a period of time before the infection will appear on any test which means testing at the right…
Greg Louganis, diving Greg Louganis was a world-class, award winning diver. In his career he won five world championships, four Olympic gold medals, and one Olympic silver medal. He competed in three different Summer Olympic Games including 1976, 1984, and 1988. It was that very same year that Louganis was diagnosed as HIV positive. In…
“You’re not just having sex with them, you are actually having sex with every person they have had sex with before.” This is a common phrase in sexual health education. It warns of the dangers that come with not knowing the sexual history of your partner. You may think you have a clean bill of…
According to a recent press release from the CDC, there were over 2 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis reported in the United States in 2016. In the CDC’s annual Infectious Disease Surveillance Report, it became clear that the most common STD reported last year was chlamydia. Chlamydia accounted for 1.6 million of all…