·> About You

If you're having sex, you might get a sexually transmitted disease (STD) from a partner who already has one. You can't get an STD from a public bathroom, or from kissing, or even from dry humping. You get STDs from genital skin-to-skin contact (HPV and Herpes) or exchange of semen (cum) or vaginal fluids during unprotected oral, anal and vaginal sex (chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis).

Teenagers are particularly at-risk for STDs -- one out of every four sexually active youth get an STD each year. In San Francisco, young African-Americans aged 15-19 are at highest risk for new chlamydia and gonorrhea infections.

Teenagers who have unprotected sex or a condom "failure" (rips, breaks, or falls off) not only are at risk for getting a STD, they are ALSO at risk for an unplanned pregnancy! Luckily, emergency contraception, or "the morning after pill", can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex or a condom failure to help prevent pregnancy. You can get it for free at City Clinic. It's a good idea for young women to have a supply of the morning after pill at home to use "just in case." City Clinic also offers birth control (shot, pill, patch and ring) to patients who want to use it. But remember, these methods do not protect against STDs - only condoms can do that! You can drop-in to City Clinic any time and pick up free condoms and lube.

There are ways to protect yourself, including feeling good about who you are and the decisions you make, and taking care of yourself by treating yourself right and putting your health first.

1. Use condoms.
   
2. Get STD checkups especially with new partners (free and confidential at City Clinic).


3. Got symptoms? Go to a clinic right away.


4. If a condom rips, breaks or falls off - get the morning after pill to prevent pregnancy (free and confidential at City Clinic).


5. Talk, talk, talk to your partners about sex and STDs.


6. For info to your phone: Text SEXINFO to 917-957-4280 (Metro PCS users) and 61827 (all others).

Stay healthy. Have fun. Stay in school.

·>Women who have sex with Women (WSW)

Women who exclusively have sex with other women are at very low risk for contracting bacterial STDs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Viral infections such as herpes and HPV (genital warts) are more likely to be transmitted between women (see STD risk chart).

If you or your partner has had sexual contact with men, you are at a higher risk for STDs. Please see women (under 30 years old) who have sex with men or women (over 30 years old) who have sex with men.

If you are using sex toys, best bets are to wash with warm soapy water before and after use. Using a barrier for oral sex is a possibility -- cut-open condoms, dental dams or household plastic wrap will all do the trick. Lesbians under age 30 need annual Pap tests (only once every two to three years if you're 30+), as is recommended for all sexually active women.

Please note: during the visit process at City Clinic, you will have a careful risk assessment and will only be tested for infections for which you have risk.

·>Men who have sex with men (MSM)

The number men who have sex with men (MSM) testing positive for treatable STDs like gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia is on the rise, especially in San Francisco. This may be because many MSM are having more oral sex. While oral sex considered a low risk for HIV, you can easily transmit gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis through oral sex (see STD risk chart).

More MSM are also using meth, which increases your STD risk (including HIV) particularly when associated with the party and play (PNP) crowd where prolonged sex can lead to genital abrasions and condom breakage.

If you're HIV- and have an STD like syphilis or gonorrhea, you are two to five times more likely to become HIV infected if you have unprotected sex with a poz partner. If you are HIV+, you're more likely to get an STD from an infected partner and to have complications from that STD.

Tips for Your Sexual Health:
* Use condoms for anal sex, top and bottom.

* If you're sexually active with more than one partner, see a medical provider for routine STD testing every 3-6 months, even if you are only having oral sex.

* If you find out you have an STD, get it treated quickly and let your sex partners know. If you are shy about contacting them directly, try the ecards at inSPOT.org.

* If you use drugs, having safer sex tools available and ready increases your chances of using them while under the influence.

* If your drug use is out of control, find local resources to help before it's too late.

* If you are HIV+, see your medical provider on a regular basis and ask about routine testing for STDs (definitely syphilis!) with your periodic blood work.