Get weekly sex info and life advice sent to you for free! You can also find the nearest clinic to you for low to no cost sexual health services, if you enter your zip code. Standard rates apply, it’s just like texting your friends. You can learn more by watching the news clip that featured the Hookup and TeenSource on ABC7 News!
In early April, CFHC, the CA STD Control Branch and ISIS launched an awesome new text messaging service called "The Hookup" and TeenSource will be the online home! Each week we’ll post the new tip with some places to check out for more info, so come back again soon and see what's up with the Hookup!
STDs are sexually transmitted infections that can be spread by contact with someone’s skin, mouth, penis, vagina or anus that is infected. Half of all new sexually transmitted infections happen in people under age 25. Each year, 1 in 4 teens gets an STD. 1 in 2 sexually active teens will get an STD by the time they are 25. Now is the time to get educated and protect yourself.
Think you know everything? Think again!
WRONG. You can get some STDs through skin contact alone (herpes and genital warts). Condoms can protect those areas covered by the condom, but not skin around the vaginal opening and areas near the penis where infected areas may be.
WRONG. You can get an STD from oral and anal sex.
WRONG. Some STDs have no symptoms, and show no signs of infection. Some people with STDs don’t know that they have them.
Did you know?
You can get an STD from kissing, oral sex, anal sex and sexual intercourse. You can also get an STD if your vaginal area or penis touches someone else’s vaginal area or penis (naked rubbing). For more information on what STDs you can get from different sexual activity, click here.
Many teens have found that it can be a big help to talk to their parents about sex and health. Because your parents know you so well, they can give you advice that is best for you and answer your questions in a really personal way.
If you see a doctor for any reason, tell the doctor that you are using birth control. Some medicines may keep your birth control from working as well. If you need to take one of these medicines, you may need to use a back up method of pregnancy prevention, like condoms, until you finish the medication. Your doctor will tell you if this is necessary.
STDs are infections that people usually get by having sex with someone who already has one. Some STDs can be treated and cured with antibiotic medicine. Others cannot be cured, but many of those can be treated to make them easier to live with.
It is very important to remember that most of the time you will never know if you are having sex with someone who has an STD. Anyone can get one. It has nothing to do with how "clean" someone is or how the person dresses and acts. Most people who get an STD, including HIV, do not know the person they are having sex with has one.
That’s why getting tested is so important. Some STDs have no symptoms, and can lead to chronic pelvic pain and ‘infertility’, which means you can’t have babies in the future. Protect yourself every time you have sex – any kind of sex, whether it’s oral, vaginal or anal. Always use a condom. Remember birth control only protects you from pregnancy, not STDs.
If you’ve ever had unprotected sex – that means oral, vaginal or anal sex without a condom – you should get tested.
Having sex is a decision that requires careful thought. Careful thought and alcohol/drugs do not go together, no matter how clear-headed you think you may be when you take them.
If you had unprotected sex while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you could have been exposed to an STD. Click here to find a local clinic to get tested.
If you or a friend has a problem with alcohol or drugs, you can find help here.
As of April, 2009, anyone over the age of 17 can get emergency contraception (also called "Plan B") without a prescription. To make it easy to buy Plan B, pharmacies are supposed to put them in a place in a pharmacy where they are easy to pick-up and buy. This is why Plan B is now called an "over-the-counter" medicine.
It may take awhile for the pharmacies to make the emergency contraceptive pills "over-the counter." Until then, it is still pretty easy to get them. You can go to a clinic or get a prescription from your doctor. You can even get emergency contraceptive pills free at many clinics.
The contraceptive shot that clinics have been giving to teens and adult women for many years is called Depo-Provera. It is a shot that the woman gets every 12 weeks to keep from getting pregnant. The shot only has progestin in it. Progestin is very much like one of the hormones a girls’ body begins to make after she has her first menstrual period. .
The shot works well to prevent pregnancy. But it does not protect against HIV or other STDs. If you are having anal, vaginal, or oral sex with a guy who might give you an STD, use a condom. If you are having oral or vaginal sex with a girl, you should use a dental dam. But it’s best not to have sex with anyone you think will give you and STD. The person should get tested first to make sure you don’t get an STD.
Advantages of the shot:
Possible Side Effects
Some medicines may keep the shot from working as well, so tell your doctors if you’re taking the shot. If you need to take one of these medicines, you may need to use a back up method of pregnancy prevention, like condoms, until you finish the medication. Your doctor will tell you if this is necessary.
Protecting yourself is one of the most important things you can do for yourself in a relationship. Understandably, it can be very hurtful to learn that your partner has given you an STD, especially if you didn’t know your partner was having sex with someone else. Sometimes you can have a new relationship and the person you are with doesn’t know he or she has an STD. This is why, when two people are thinking about having sex with each other, they should get tested before they have sex.
If you are having oral sex with a guy, or vaginal or anal sex, you should always protect yourself by using condoms. If you are having oral sex with a girl, you should use a dental dam.
You should always talk with your partner about STD testing and make sure you both get tested before you have sex.
Genital warts (caused by the virus HPV, or ‘human papilloma virus’) are small, often painless bumps in or round the vagina, penis, or anus. You get HPV by having sex with someone who has the virus.
HPV is spread by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Even if the warts go away or are removed, the virus stays in your body and can be spread to others.
HPV can be prevented with the HPV vaccine. The vaccine to protect you from HPV is for girls and women who:
If you’ve had oral, vaginal or anal sex, it is important to get an HPV test. This is a simple and painless test. If a woman has the kind of HPV that causes genital warts, she may also have another kind of HPV that causes cervical cancer. Any woman who has had genital warts should have a Pap smear at least once a year to check for cervical cancer.
More HPV: symptoms, long-term effects and treatment
Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver that can be diagnosed by a simple blood test. Hepatitis B is caused by a virus (a kind of germ).
People can have hepatitis B without knowing it. They may feel fine or they may just feel like they have the flu. Even if you have no signs, you can still spread hepatitis B to others.
There is no cure for hepatitis B, but in some people, it goes away on its own. There is medicine that can help the liver of people who have chronic hepatitis.
Your doctor will make a treatment plan just for you. Tell your partner(s) and anyone you live with that you have hepatitis B. They will need to get the vaccine.
STDs are infections that people usually get by having sex with someone who already has one. Some STDs can be treated and cured with antibiotic medicine. Others cannot be cured, but many of those can be treated to make them easier to live with.
It is very important to remember that most of the time you will never know if you are having sex with someone who has an STD. Anyone can get one. It has nothing to do with how "clean" someone is or how the person dresses and acts. Most people who get an STD, including HIV, do not know the person they are having sex with has one.
That’s why getting tested is so important. Some STDs have no symptoms but you can still get very sick. You can end up with a very serious problem like not being able to get pregnant or cause a pregnancy. Protect yourself every time you have sex – any kind of sex, whether it’s oral, vaginal or anal. Always use a condom. Remember birth control only protects you from pregnancy, not STDs.
If you’ve ever had unprotected sex – that means oral, vaginal or anal sex you should get tested.
To learn more about different STDs, click here.
Smoking while using a hormonal method of birth control puts a woman at greater risk of heart attack and stroke, and this risk gets higher as women get older. If you smoke, and you’re taking a hormonal method of birth control, you need to tell your doctor.
The decision to have sex or not is yours, and yours alone. If you just had sex for the first time, or are considering having sex for the first time, there are important questions you should ask yourself. If you’re thinking about having sex with a new partner, these questions are still helpful for you. Sex is a big emotional event, and a big physical event. Asking some basic questions of yourself can help you decide if you’re ready.
Make a plan. Don’t leave yourself unprotected for pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections.
The contraceptive patch is a hormonal method of birth control. It is a small patch a woman can wear on her skin to keep her from getting pregnant. It sticks to the skin like a Band-Aid. The patch contains both estrogen and progestin. The hormones go slowly into the woman's body through her skin.
Each patch works for only 1 week. You wear one patch each week for three weeks. During the fourth week, you wear no patch at all. This is when you will get your period.
The patch works well to prevent pregnancy. But it does not protect against HIV and other STIs. If you have sex with anyone you think might give you a sexually transmitted infection, you should use a condom.
Many teens have found that it can be a big help to talk to their parents about sex and health. Because they care about you and want you to be happy, they want the opportunity to talk with you and try to help you in any way they can.
It’s true that some parents don’t have the information about sex you need or are not comfortable talking about sex with you. This doesn’t mean they don’t want to try to help you. They may even want to learn! There are some links below you can give to your parents.
You may or may not know how your parents feel about talking about sex. You might think they will be upset with you. Unless you know absolutely for sure that they would be very upset or even punish you in some way, it is worth a try to begin talking to them.
If you live with two parents or both your parents are living but no longer together, think about which one (or both) you want to try to talk with about sex.
It may not be easy to start the conversation. TeenSource.org's "Talk With Your Parents" section has more ideas you can use to make it easier:
Ovulation is the time when the egg comes out of the ovary. It usually takes place about two weeks before a woman’s next period.
If the egg and sperm are to meet (this is called fertilization), it can happen on the day of ovulation. It can also happen up to five days before ovulation. This means if a woman has intercourse one to five days before ovulation, sperm can live in her body until the day ovulation takes place. Sperm can live in a woman’s body because it is making fertile mucus beginning a few days before ovulation. Fertile mucus keeps sperm alive and lets them travel.
Pregnancy happens when the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus. This occurs about six days after fertilization. Up to half of all fertilized eggs never attach to the wall of the uterus so they can’t continue to grow into a healthy pregnancy. This is normal and does not mean anything is wrong with a woman or that she can’t have a baby in the future. No one knows why this happens. The fertilized egg comes out during menstrual bleeding but it can’t be seen because it is very, very small.
Remember, hormonal birth control methods do not protect against STDs. Always use a condom.
STIs are infections that people usually get by having sex with someone who already has one. Some STDI can be treated and cured with antibiotic medicine. Others cannot be cured. But many of those can be treated to make them easier to live with.
It is very important to remember that most of the time you do NOT know if you are having sex with someone who has an STI. It has nothing to do with how "clean" someone is or how the person dresses and acts. Most people who get an STI, including HIV, do not know the person they are having sex with has one. This means anyone can get an STI and not know it.
That’s why getting tested is so important. Some STIs will not give you any signs that let you know you have them. You can walk around with an infection for many months and not know it but the infection is still hurting you. It can cause you to not be able to get pregnant or to get a woman pregnant. Protect yourself every time you have sex – any kind of sex, whether it’s oral, vaginal or anal. Some STIs can give you a very bad infection in your mouth, throat or anus. The infection can spread to other parts of your body from these areas. Always use a condom. Remember hormonal methods of birth control only protect you from pregnancy, not STIs.
The hormonal methods can sometimes cause an increase in appetite. If this happens, it is important to be careful not to eat more than usual. Eating too much can cause weight gain. The shot and implant may cause some weight gain without eating too much. If you are concerned about weight gain, discuss different options with your doctor or healthcare provider.
Disagreements happen in normal relationships. What is important is HOW you and your partner talk with each other during these times. Everyone needs to learn how to deal with disagreement in a healthy way. Read these tips and talk with your partner about them. Use the tips the next time you have a disagreement.
Arguing or having disagreements with your partner should NEVER get physical. If you are being hurt physically, or hurting someone else, you CAN get the help you need. See the links below.
Environment: In the hallway in between classes, when you are around friends or family, during/after sex or at a party are bad places to talk. Good places are private and quiet so that you and your partner can feel comfortable talking about how you are each feeling.
One problem at a time: Try to talk about one disagreement or problem at a time. This will help you and your partner put your attention on one issue only and come up with a way to handle it that will work for both of you. Couples who try to talk about a lot of problems at one time usually get too angry and often feel hurt.
Talk as soon as you can: When you are feeling badly about something, let your partner know how you are feeling. This will prevent you from keeping your feelings inside for a while. When this happens, it is easy to get more and more hurt, angry or upset.
Use “I” statements: Instead of saying, “You make me feel…” or “you did...” or “you never…,” say “I feel hurt when…” Also, in addition to telling your partner how you feel, give your partner as much information as you can so that he or she will understand why you feel that way. Doing this will help you and your partner decide on what can be done so that the problem won’t happen again.
NO insults or name-calling! If you or your partner starts name-calling, it’s time to walk-away and cool-off. You are no longer communicating.
Apologizing and compromising: Relationships involve having to do both of these things, even the best of relationships. We can’t have everything our way all the time, and we all make mistakes. If you were wrong, admit it. Even if you didn’t mean to hurt the other person, you should still say you’re sorry. And compromising does not mean you give in to the other person; it means you find a solution that works for both of you.
Remember, verbal or physical abuse is NOT okay! Not sure what verbal or physical abuse is? Get more information and resources for help.
You can also visit the TeenSource.org "Healthy Relationships" special topic for more.
Genital herpes is an infection caused by a virus (a kind of germ).
This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a loving, close relationship with someone. It does means you have to learn about herpes and know how to take care of yourself. Sometimes people with herpes completely stop having any sores or blisters. This can happen if they take good care of their health. It can also happen if they take the right medicine.
Most people with herpes get signs of the infection, but some people don't. Most people get blisters or sores. They can show up in any of these places:
These blisters or sores are different for everyone: Some people get a painful rash of blisters or sores.
Some get only a blister or two that just itch. Some people feel like they have the flu along with the blisters. The sores and blisters will heal.
Some people get the sores only once. Some people get them many times. Even when you have no sores or blisters, the herpes virus is in your body, and you can pass herpes to others.
Herpes cannot be cured. It can cause these problems:
Genital herpes can't be cured, but there are medicines that will usually help the sores heal more quickly. Some medicines may also make the blisters come less often, stay a shorter time, and be less painful.
Birth control pills are a hormonal method of preventing pregnancy. Hormonal methods work very well to prevent pregnancy, but do not protect against HIV or other sexually transmittedinfections (STIs) . You should use condoms if you are worried about getting STIs.
There are also barrier methods and long-term methods of birth control. Barrier methods include male condoms, female condoms, diaphragms, kinds of cervical caps, spermicides. Some barrier methods can also be used to protect against STIs (male and female condoms). Click here for more information on barrier methods.
Long term methods include three types of pregnancy prevention methods that work for several years.
These three types are sterilization, intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants. Click here for more information on long term methods.
Withdrawal is also a method of birth control that can work ONLY if a guy really knows how to use it correctly. The natural methods of family planning also work but only if someone learns to use them correctly and follows the instructions. Click here for more information about withdrawal and here for information about the natural methods of family planning.
You can get a sexually transmitted infection (STI) if you have contact with someone's skin, mouth, penis, vagina or anus that has the infection. Half of all new sexually transmitted infections happen in people under age 25. Each year, 1 in 4 sexually active teens gets an STI and 1 in 2 teens will get an STI by the time they are 25. Now is the time to get educated and protect yourself.
Think you know everything? Think again!
"You have to have sexual intercourse (vaginal sex) to get an STI."
WRONG. You can get some STIs like herpes and genital warts through skin contact alone. Condoms can protect those areas covered by the condom, but not skin around the genitals where infected areas may be. Do you want to say anything about dental dams?
"You can’t get an STIs from oral or anal sex."
WRONG.
All STIs can be passed on through oral or anal sex.
"If my partner ‘looks’ clean, they must be clean."
WRONG. Some STIs have no symptoms, and show no signs of infection. Some people with STIs don’t know that they have them.
You can get an STI from kissing, naked genital rubbing, oral sex, anal sex and sexual intercourse. For more information on what STIs you can get from different kinds of sexual activity, click here.
Did you know?
Learn More
Did you forget to use a condom? Was there any penetration before you used a condom? Did the condom break? Are you worried that you did not take your birth control as required? Were you forced to have unprotected sex?
Emergency contraception (EC) is a type of birth control, and is sometimes called the 'morning after pill' or 'Plan B'. EC is taken after having sex to prevent pregnancy from happening. Emergency contraception is not abortion. In fact, if you are already pregnant, taking emergency contraception will not end or harm the pregnancy.
EC can prevent pregnancy if taken within 5 days (120 hours) of unprotected sex, but the sooner you take it after sex, the better it works. If you answer yes to any of the questions above, and you want to prevent pregnancy, emergency contraception might be a good choice for you.
EC is generally available to those 17 years of age or older at pharmacies without a prescription. If you are younger than 17, getting EC may require a prescription depending on the state you live in.
Yes, emergency contraception is a safe method for preventing pregnancies. Again, if you are already pregnant, EC will not end or harm your pregnancy.
Remember, EC does not prevent pregnancy for the rest of your menstrual cycle. After taking EC, you should get your period within 7-9 days. If you have sex before getting your period, use a condom every time.
EC does not protect you against STDs. If you had unprotected sex, you should find a clinic and get tested for STDs.
Remember, EC is meant to be an emergency treatment, not a regular method of birth control. You should not use EC as your only way of preventing pregnancy. Talk to a your doctor about a regular method of birth control that is right for you.
When people don’t take the medicine they need to get rid of a STDs, the infection can lead to ‘infertility,’ which means that you or your partner can’t have babies in the future. Two STDs that cause infertility are Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. However, not all STDs have symptoms, which means you may not know if you have an STD. It can also take a few months for your body to give you a signal that you have an STD, such as pain or fever. That’s why it’s very important to use protection each and every time you have sex, and to get tested if you or your partner has ever had unprotected sex.
Talking about sex with your partner can make you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. It is very important to know that being able to talk about sex is part of a healthy relationship. When two people talk with each other about sex and really listen to each other’s feelings, they are showing each other respect and caring. It helps them plan to prevent pregnancy or disease. Some people may feel more shy than others in discussing sex – there are tips in the links below that offer suggestions on creating a good environment for talking about sex with your partner, and how to get the conversation going. Even if you’re not shy, these are good tips to help you have the best communication possible with your partner.
Remember:
Want to learn more?
Sex is many things. It is a natural part of life. It affects people both physically and emotionally. It also carries serious physical risks, including pregnancy and STDs. And the more people you have sex with, the greater your risk for STDs, especially if you’re not using condoms correctly. To protect yourself and your partner, there are important things to think about.
You probably know that abstinence is the only way to prevent pregnancy and STDs. If you are having sex or planning to have sex for the first time, there are ways that you can reduce your chances of getting an STD. Click on the Safer Sex 101 link below for more information.
Using more than one condom at a time, whether you’re using a male condom or a female condom, is never a good idea. Why? When condoms rub together they can break or tear. Any break or tear, no matter how small, can let you or your partner get a sexually transmitted infection. It can also cause pregnancy. Condoms can also break if they’re old or if they’re not put on properly.
Putting condoms on wrong is the most common cause of breaking. A lot of guys think they know how to use a condom but they don’t! See the links below that teach how to use a condom correctly.
If you want to be extra careful in preventing pregnancy and STDs, use another form of contraception in addition to the condom, like a spermicide. Another option: using a hormonal method like birth control pills with a condom provides extra protection against pregnancy and STDs. Remember, condom use to prevent STDs is not only important for vaginal sex, but also oral and anal sex.
Getting an STD test is easier than ever! Testing for common STDs, like chlamydia and gonorrhea, only requires a urine sample, so you’ll just need to pee in a cup. You will also get the chance to talk with clinic staff about safer sex practices, pick up health education materials and maybe even go home with free condoms! Once your results are in, clinic staff will contact you to discuss what steps to take next to protect your health for the future.
Having anal sex instead of vaginal sex will not stop you from catching or spreading STDs. You certainly can get an STD if you have anal sex with someone who has an infection, even if you can't tell there is an infection by looking. Viruses like HIV and herpes, as well as other infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea can infect through the anus, as well as the vagina. In fact, anal sex with an infected partner is one of the most likely ways of getting HIV. So you still need to use a condom and practice safe sex every time.
The pill protects from pregnancy. Need condoms 2 prevent STDs + HIV.
The contraceptive pill is what most people think of as "the pill." It is a pill made with both estrogen and progestin. The woman takes one pill at the same time each day.
There are many types and brands of contraceptive pills. They come in different colors and in different kinds of packs. A clinician decides which type and brand is best for each woman.
The pill works well to prevent pregnancy, but it does not protect against HIV and other STDs. Use a condom every time you have sex to help protect against these diseases.
Meds cure chlamydia, gonorrhea, + syphilis. Herpes + HIV stay w/u 4 ever.
STDs are infections that people usually get by having sex with someone who already has one. Some STDs can be treated and cured with antibiotic medicine. Others cannot be cured. But many of those can be treated to make them easier to live with.
It is very important to remember that most of the time you will never know if you are having sex with someone who has an STD. Anyone can get one. Most people who get an STD, including HIV, do not know the person they are having sex with has one.