Safer sex and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Health topics Sex and sexual health Safer sex and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) There are many things you can do to have safer sex. Safer sex means more than preventing STIs or unintended pregnancy. It’s also about communication, consent and respect. Print / PDF What is safer sex? How to have safer sex Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Common STIs Pelvic Inflammatory Disease What to do if you have an STI Safer sex after a long-term relationship Reviewed For the most update information on this topic, please visit jeanhailes.org.au Key takeaways Safer sex helps reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy. Anyone can get an STI, so it’s important to protect yourself with regular STI checks. Condoms and dams are effective at preventing STIs. Ask your doctor about how often you should have an STI check. Sections on this page What is safer sex? How to have safer sex Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Common STIs Pelvic Inflammatory Disease What to do if you have an STI Safer sex after a long-term relationship Print / PDF Key takeaways Safer sex helps reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy. Anyone can get an STI, so it’s important to protect yourself with regular STI checks. Condoms and dams are effective at preventing STIs. Ask your doctor about how often you should have an STI check. What is safer sex? Safer sex is not just about protection from unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It’s also about making sure everyone involved feels safe and respected. Communication is an important part of safer sex, no matter what type of relationship you’re in. Before you have sex, it’s important to talk about: consent contraception sexual preferences boundaries STIs. Consent is an important part of safer sex. Sex should only happen when the people involved give enthusiastic consent. It’s also important to check in during and after sex. This helps everyone feel safe and respected. How to have safer sex Practising safer sex helps protect you from STIs. Anyone can get an STI, even people who look strong and healthy. Some people don’t even know they have an STI. It’s important to communicate openly and agree on protection before you have sex. Oral sex doesn’t reduce the risk of getting an STI. Common STIs such as herpes, gonorrhoea and chlamydia can all be transmitted through unprotected oral sex. Some STIs can even be spread by mouth-to-mouth contact, so it’s important to consider this before kissing someone. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) An STI is an infection spread from one person to another usually during sex. STIs can be spread through: semen vaginal fluids anal fluids blood skin-to-skin contact saliva. There are different types of STIs. For example: viruses bacteria parasites (e.g. pubic lice). Safer sex can protect against: sexually transmitted infections blood-borne viruses, such as Hepatitis B and C. Some infections can be cured, but others must be managed. You can have an STI and not have any symptoms. The only way to know is to have an STI check. Common STIs Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. While it’s not an STI, PID can be a complication of some STIs, most commonly chlamydia and gonorrhoea. If not treated early, PID can scar your fallopian tubes. This can lead to infertility or pregnancy complications such as an ectopic pregnancy (when a fertilised egg grows outside the womb). Symptoms of PID can include: pain in your lower belly bleeding after sex or between periods heavy or more painful periods smelly vaginal discharge painful sex feeling sick fever. If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor. Treatment usually involves a combination of antibiotics for at least 14 days. It’s also important to avoid sex for at least 7 days after starting treatment. What to do if you have an STI If you are diagnosed with an STI, it’s important to follow the treatment recommended by your doctor. Take the full course of medicines, even if you start to feel better and symptoms go away. It’s also important to tell anyone you’ve recently had sexual contact with so they can be tested and treated too. If you find this hard, the following websites have tips on how to tell your partner and ways you can send an SMS or text without them knowing it’s from you: Let them know website Better to know website Safer sex after a long-term relationship If you have been in a long-term relationship and, for different reasons, you’re ready to start having sex with other people, it’s important to have safer sex. STIs are increasing among older women in Australia at a faster rate than among younger women. Many older women say they find it awkward to talk about safer sex if they are starting a new relationship. They’re also less likely to use condoms. This might be because they: have not used condoms in their past relationships are not worried about getting pregnant do not know about the risk of STIs find sex with condoms uncomfortable, especially if they symptoms like dry vagina have an older partner who finds condoms difficult to use or keep on. If you’re starting a new relationship after many years, it’s important to discuss safer sex with new partners. To be even safer, you can both have an STI check before having sex. If any issues make it hard for you or your partner to use condoms, talk to your doctor. Personal stories about sex and sexual health Story I got a sexually transmitted infection at 51: I’m devastated 6 min Story Menopause took my sex drive – we need to talk about it 4 min Story ‘I wanted to have sex but it was physically impossible’: Life with severe vaginismus 5 min Review process Our review process This information has been reviewed by clinical experts and is based on the latest evidence. Our content review process ensures our health information is accurate, trustworthy, current and useful. We regularly check our information to make sure it reflects the latest clinical guidelines and key findings from large, reliable studies. Where possible, we focus on Australian research to make our information more relevant locally. Experts play a key role in reviewing our content. Clinicians at Jean Hailes check information for accuracy and real‑world relevance. These include GPs, gynaecologists, endocrinologists, psychologists and allied health professionals. We also work with partner organisations, independent specialists and people with lived experience to make sure our content reflects both expert knowledge and the experiences of the community. Health information in your language view all You might want to know more about Topic Enjoying your sex life Topic Sex and sexual health Abortion • Contraception • Enjoying your sex life • Healthy relationships • Painful sex (dyspareunia) • Safer sex and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) • What can affect your sex life? Topic Sex and sexual health as you age Topic Painful sex (dyspareunia)

Safer sex and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

There are many things you can do to have safer sex. Safer sex means more than preventing STIs or unintended pregnancy. It’s also about communication, consent and respect.

Print / PDF

Reviewed

Key takeaways

Safer sex helps reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy.
Anyone can get an STI, so it’s important to protect yourself with regular STI checks.
Condoms and dams are effective at preventing STIs.
Ask your doctor about how often you should have an STI check.

Key takeaways

Safer sex helps reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy.
Anyone can get an STI, so it’s important to protect yourself with regular STI checks.
Condoms and dams are effective at preventing STIs.
Ask your doctor about how often you should have an STI check.

What is safer sex?

Safer sex is not just about protection from unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It’s also about making sure everyone involved feels safe and respected.

Communication is an important part of safer sex, no matter what type of relationship you’re in. Before you have sex, it’s important to talk about:

consent
contraception
sexual preferences
boundaries
STIs.

Consent is an important part of safer sex. Sex should only happen when the people involved give enthusiastic consent.

It’s also important to check in during and after sex. This helps everyone feel safe and respected.

How to have safer sex

Practising safer sex helps protect you from STIs. Anyone can get an STI, even people who look strong and healthy. Some people don’t even know they have an STI.

It’s important to communicate openly and agree on protection before you have sex.

Oral sex doesn’t reduce the risk of getting an STI. Common STIs such as herpes, gonorrhoea and chlamydia can all be transmitted through unprotected oral sex.

Some STIs can even be spread by mouth-to-mouth contact, so it’s important to consider this before kissing someone.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

An STI is an infection spread from one person to another usually during sex. STIs can be spread through:

semen
vaginal fluids
anal fluids
blood
skin-to-skin contact
saliva.

There are different types of STIs. For example:

viruses
bacteria
parasites (e.g. pubic lice).

Safer sex can protect against:

sexually transmitted infections
blood-borne viruses, such as Hepatitis B and C.

Some infections can be cured, but others must be managed. You can have an STI and not have any symptoms. The only way to know is to have an STI check.

Common STIs

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. While it’s not an STI, PID can be a complication of some STIs, most commonly chlamydia and gonorrhoea.

If not treated early, PID can scar your fallopian tubes. This can lead to infertility or pregnancy complications such as an ectopic pregnancy (when a fertilised egg grows outside the womb).

Symptoms of PID can include:

pain in your lower belly
bleeding after sex or between periods
heavy or more painful periods
smelly vaginal discharge
painful sex
feeling sick
fever.

If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor. Treatment usually involves a combination of antibiotics for at least 14 days. It’s also important to avoid sex for at least 7 days after starting treatment.

What to do if you have an STI

If you are diagnosed with an STI, it’s important to follow the treatment recommended by your doctor. Take the full course of medicines, even if you start to feel better and symptoms go away.

It’s also important to tell anyone you’ve recently had sexual contact with so they can be tested and treated too.

If you find this hard, the following websites have tips on how to tell your partner and ways you can send an SMS or text without them knowing it’s from you:

Safer sex after a long-term relationship

If you have been in a long-term relationship and, for different reasons, you’re ready to start having sex with other people, it’s important to have safer sex.

STIs are increasing among older women in Australia at a faster rate than among younger women.

Many older women say they find it awkward to talk about safer sex if they are starting a new relationship. They’re also less likely to use condoms. This might be because they:

have not used condoms in their past relationships
are not worried about getting pregnant
do not know about the risk of STIs
find sex with condoms uncomfortable, especially if they symptoms like dry vagina
have an older partner who finds condoms difficult to use or keep on.

If you’re starting a new relationship after many years, it’s important to discuss safer sex with new partners. To be even safer, you can both have an STI check before having sex. If any issues make it hard for you or your partner to use condoms, talk to your doctor.