Safer sex and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Condoms are the only form of contraception that are highly effective at preventing STIs.

Condoms and other barrier methods (e.g. dental dams) reduce the risk of sharing body fluids during sexual activities.

Body fluids can be exchanged during different sexual activities, including:

• vaginal sex
• anal sex
• oral sex
• fingers or other objects (like sex toys) in the vagina or anus.

The safest way to have sex is to use condoms (external or internal) or dental dams and water-based lubricant (lube).

It’s important to use a new condom or dam during sex if you change partners or change from vaginal to anal or oral sex. You should also use a new condom if you share sex toys.

Condoms or dams won’t protect against STIs if part of the body with infection is unprotected and there’s skin-to-skin contact. Also, some STIs may still be spread even if a condom is used, such as

• herpes
• genital warts
• pubic lice.

Apart from reducing the risk of STIs and unwanted pregnancies, condoms are:

• easy to buy (available in most supermarkets and chemists)
• cheap (and sometimes free)
• easy to use
• easy to take with you or keep in a bedside drawer
• available in many forms (including ultra-thin varieties to improve sensitivity).

Sex without a condom or dam is only safe in preventing STIs if you and your partner only have sex with each other and neither of you has an STI.

You can talk to your doctor about different types of contraception.

Learn more about contraception

It’s important to practise safer sex, even when you have your period. If you have unprotected sex during your period you could pass on serious infections like HIV or hepatitis to your partner. This can happen if your partner has any cuts or scrapes on their skin.

If you know you have an infection, it’s best to use a condom or dam when having sex during your period.

Using lube can help make sex safer and more pleasurable.

Water-based lubes are safe to use with condoms and sex toys. They are thin and slippery, which reduces friction and the risk of grazes that can contribute to the spread of infections.

Unscented and flavour-free lubes reduce the risk of bacterial vaginosis.

If you have symptoms such as vaginal dryness, lube can help to make sex more pleasurable.

If you’re sexually active, talk to your doctor about how often you should have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) check.

Tell your doctor if you’re planning a pregnancy. It’s important to be as healthy as possible before pregnancy.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of common viruses that can be spread through sexual contact. HPV causes most cases of genital warts and cervical cancer. Around 85% of people will get at least one type of HPV in their lives.

Under the National Immunisation Program, the HPV vaccine is usually given to children aged 12 to 13 at school.

Most people with HPV don’t have symptoms, so it’s important to have regular cervical screening tests.

If you haven’t been vaccinated against HPV or want to learn more about cervical screening tests, talk to your doctor.

There are medicines to help protect you from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

If you take pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) before being exposed to HIV, it can prevent infection. You can also take post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) within 72 hours of unprotected sex to reduce your risk of infection.

Your doctor can give you more information.

Chlamydia is an infection caused by bacteria. It’s the most commonly diagnosed STI in Australia. Anyone who is sexually active can get chlamydia, but it’s more common in people aged under 30. Chlamydia can infect the:

• cervix (entrance to the uterus)
• urethra (where wee comes out)
• anus (where poo comes out)
• throat
• eyes.

If left untreated, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can lead to infertility and ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that develops outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes).

About 70% of women with chlamydia have no symptoms. But symptoms can include:

• changes in vaginal discharge
• painful sex
• bleeding between periods or after sex
• burning or stinging when doing a wee.

Treatment for chlamydia is usually a course of antibiotics. It’s also important to avoid sexual contact for 7 days after you start treatment.

Chlamydia is very infectious. If you have it, anyone you’ve had sex with is likely to have it too, so it’s important they get tested and treated.

Syphilis is a bacterial infection. You can get it from:

• genital-to-genital contact
• vaginal, anal or oral sex
• mouth-to-mouth contact.

It can also be passed on by touching genitals with your fingers or by sharing sex toys.

Syphilis is becoming more common, partly due to limited testing through the pandemic and a decrease in condom use.

Syphilis symptoms can be subtle. There are 4 stages of infection:

• primary – can include painless sores on the genitals and mouth
• secondary – can include a red rash, fever, swollen glands, hair loss and tiredness
• latent – there are no symptoms, but you may still be infectious
• tertiary – you aren’t infectious, but the infection can damage multiple organs or even cause death.

Syphilis is usually treated with penicillin (a type of antibiotic). It’s important to avoid any sexual contact for 7 days after you start treatment. You may also need to avoid sexual activity with any previous partners from the last 12 months, unless they have been tested and treated.

Syphilis and pregnancy

You can pass syphilis on to your baby while it’s still in your uterus.

If you get syphilis when you’re pregnant it’s important to seek treatment. Syphilis can cause pregnancy complications such as miscarriage and stillbirth or your baby can die shortly after birth. Babies born with syphilis may also have serious health problems.

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection. Contact with genitals or bodily fluids is the main way to spread the infection.

The bacteria can infect the:

• urethra (where wee comes out)
• rectum (where poo comes out)
• female reproductive organs
• mouth
• throat
• eyes.

Babies can also get the infection during childbirth.
If you notice symptoms, such as a burning sensation when you wee, see your doctor.

Genital herpes is an infection that is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). This is the same type of virus that causes cold sores. Symptoms of genital herpes include:

• stinging or tingling in the genital area
• blisters or sores on the genitals and anus
• difficulty weeing.

Once infected, you can keep getting symptoms throughout your life.

If you think you have genital herpes, see your doctor as soon as possible.

There are many other STIs to be aware of, including:

• HIV
• genital warts
• hepatitis B and C.

Other infections, such as bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vulvovaginal thrush can also be transferred between partners.

Read more about STIs at Sexual Health Victoria.