All Posts tagged stds in women

Lesbian and bisexual women are susceptible to contracting STDs or viruses from skin-to-skin and mouth-to-genital contact, as well as sharing sex toys and exchanging vaginal fluid or menstrual blood through manual stimulation. By not following safe sex practices, same-sex female couples are at risk of such STDs as chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, and HIV. Women are also especially at risk of contracting human papilloma virus (HPV), a virus linked to the development of cervical cancer. To minimize your chances of contracting an illness, follow the same sex safe sex recommendations below.

1. Follow Low-Risk Practices. Hugging, massaging, touching, and masturbation are intimate practices that offer the lowest risk of infection, second only to abstinence. They are also particularly valuable safe intimacy acts to practice if you are not in a monogamous relationship.
2. Use Protection. Oral sex offers a lower risk for spreading and contracting STDs than anal and vaginal sex, but there are still risks. Same-sex female couples should protect themselves using a vulva dam or dental dam.
3. Practice Good Hand and Nail Maintenance. For women who practice manual stimulation on one another, they could still put themselves at risk of injury or infection. Make sure your nails are trimmed and smooth to minimize the risk of cutting the delicate vaginal lining. Also, make sure you wash your hands before engaging in sexual behaviors to reduce the risk of spreading germs and bacteria from your hands to your partner or yourself.
4. Take Time Off During Your Menstrual Cycles. STDs can be transmitted through a variety of bodily fluids, including menstrual blood, which could put women at a higher risk of contracting an STD if they engage in sexual activity during their periods. Take a few days off for safety to minimize risk.
5. Do Not Share Sex Toys. Germs and bacteria that can cause disease can be transmitted using sex toys. Do not share vibrators or other sex toys. If you must share devices, clean devices thoroughly before use, or put a condom over them (yes, condoms work for sex toys too).
6. Get Tested Annually. If you do contract an STD or virus, early diagnosis and treatment can help minimize the worsening of symptoms. Especially for women, some STD symptoms are not always externally visible, which means you could be spreading an infection to someone you care about without knowing it. It also means that you cannot wait until you notice a change in your body to talk to your doctor. As part of your annual OBGYN exam, talk to your doctor about your risks. He or she can guide you as to the frequency and type of tests you should receive.
7. Limit Your Number of Sexual Partners. When you find the one, it will be easy to remain loyal in your sexual practices. Before embarking upon a monogamous relationship, however, limit your number of sexual partners to limit your risk of exposure to STDs.
8. Be Open with Your Partners About Your Sexual History—and Learn About Their History Too. You may feel that having sex exclusively with women will lower your risk of contracting an STD, but keep in mind that most partners will have a sexual past, and for some, their previous interactions may include sex with men, which could put them and you at a higher risk. By being honest with your sexual history, and ensuring anyone you engage in intercourse with has been recently tested, you can make sure you are making informed, healthy decisions regarding your sexual health.

Women of all sexual orientations should be able to express their affections for their partners and explore their sexuality—but they must do it safely. With the risk of STDs ever present in our society, and the long-term (read: often permanent and possibly deadly) consequences too real to ignore, make sure you are protecting yourself and your partner. Anyone worth your affection will want to keep you—and herself—healthy, and will respect your desire to practice safe same-sex practices.