Sexual Health

If you’re sexually active, it's your responsibility to know how to protect yourself and others you have sex with. You need to know about:

• safer sex
• pregnancy
• sexually transmitted infection
• what to do if you think you're at risk.

Even if you don't plan to have sex anytime soon, finding out about safer sex will ensure that you are protected when you do.

Crucial: Safer sex means always using a condom if you have vaginal, oral or anal sex. Always use a condom with a new sexual partner, even if you are using another form of contraception. Whatever anyone else tells you, using a condom with a new or casual partner is normal.

Be aware: HIV/AIDS

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS, an illness that affects the body's ability to fight off disease. HIV is passed on in the sexual fluids or blood of an infected person, usually through sexual intercourse or by sharing needles used to inject drugs.

HIV cannot be caught by kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or from door handles or dirty glasses.

Some people believe that HIV is only a problem if you are gay, use drugs or sleep around. This is wrong. Any young person who has unprotected sex can contract HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Safer sex means always using a condom.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

An STI, also called a sexually transmitted disease (STD), is passed from one person to another during sex. Some diseases only affect the genitals (sexual body parts) and the parts of your body where urine passes through, while others (like HIV and Syphilis) can go on to damage other parts of the body and make you very ill. When spread through oral sex, an STI can infect the mouth and throat.

STIs, including HIV, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and Chlamydia, are on the rise in the UK, especially among young people. Know the facts:

• You don't have to have full sex to get an STI.
• Many STIs show no symptoms at first.
• You can get an STI from oral sex.
• The best way to find out if you have an STI is to be tested.
• An undiagnosed STI can lead to infertility.
• Some STIs are fatal if left untreated.
• All STIs can be helped by medical treatment.

Crucial: Remember, even if you're healthy, you only have to have unprotected sex with someone who has an STI once to get infected.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most common STI among young people who are sexually active. It’s invisible and therefore easily spread. If left untreated it is serious but luckily it’s easy to test for. You can start trying to protect yourself against Chlamydia by using condoms, and, if you’re aged 15-24, you can get a free NHS chlamydia test in Oxfordshire from DrThom

Should I get checked?

If you are sexually active with more than one person, you should visit a GUM (Genitourinary Medicine) clinic to be tested. GUMs are free, confidential, non-judgmental and available to people of any age. In Oxfordshire, there are local GUM clinics in Oxford and Banbury. If you’re worried that you might have been exposed to a sexual infection, you can go along and get tested. You can find out more on the Oxfordshire sexual health website.

• Sexual Health Oxfordshire

Sometimes a GUM clinic will contact you and ask you to come in for treatment. This means that you have been named as a sexual contact by someone they are treating for an STI. Don't worry: this is normal and is just about making sure you are healthy. You should always go in and get tested, even if you feel fine. You can easily have an infection and not be aware of it.

Visiting the GUM Clinic

There are GUM clinics in Banbury and Oxford offering a full range of sexual health services. Advice and treatment are free and confidential. You can also go to your GP or a C&SH clinic (contraception and sexual health clinic). They may treat you or refer you to a GUM clinic. There is also a Young Person's Clinic called Wellsafe for the under 18s.

Time to get checked!

Any of the following symptoms need to be checked out by a doctor, even if you don't think you're at risk of an STI:

• unusual discharge from your penis or vagina
• stinging or burning when you pass water (urinate, pee)
• rash, sores or warts around your genitals
• bleeding between your periods, especially after sex
• bleeding through your penis when you pass water (urinate, pee).

Remember, all STIs can be helped with medical treatment. If you think you might have an STI, get tested as soon as you can.

Crucial:Condoms help provide protection against STIs, and also provide contraception. Find out more about contraception.

Find out more…

• www.sexualhealthoxfordshire.nhs.uk  Information from your local GUM clinics, the Harrison Unit
• www.nhs.uk/worthtalkingabout Information from the NHS on everything about sex
• www.brook.org.uk Free, confidential advice on sex and contraception for young people
• Sign up for your Sexual Safety with the Safety Card and get information, advice and free condoms
• Get tested for Chlamydia, the most common STI and one that often has no symptoms.
• www.scarleteen.com Sex Ed for the real world - an American site but lots of useful info, message  boards and help.