Safer Sex and Contraception

Safer Sex and Contraception

Abstinence, or not having sex, is the only 100% form of safe sex. It is your decision to make, and it is an option for different phases of your life. There are other activities you can particpate in with your partner without having sexual intercourse.

Having sex and making babies aren't necessarilty the same thing. A lot of people want to be sure they don't run the risk of getting pregnant or catching a sexually transmitted infection (STI), when they have sex.

It is important to consider what you and your partner want when considering your contraceptive options. Is it easy to use? Is it safe? How effective is it? Are there side effects? Is it natural? How often does it need to be taken or used? How soon after stopping it can I become pregnant?

The contraceptive pill may suit some people, while barrier methods such as condoms suit others. Some women prefer longer acting alternatives such as the IUD or hormonal implants.

And when your childbearing is finished, or you have decided you don’t want run the risk of having children at all, there is the option of sterilisation.

It is important to know what suits you, your partner and any plans you have which may or may not include pregnancy. Find out more about what sorts of contraception are available, and what best suits your needs right now.

It is important to know that to protect yourself against STIs, it is best to use barrier methods - condoms and dental dams, even if you are on another form of contraception. It is only barrier methods that will increase the safety (ie protecting yourself from an STI) of having sex. Other methods protect against pregnancy but not against STIs.

Others want to get pregnant and want to know when is the best time to have sex, and what they should do before conceiving to make sure their pregnancy is a healthy one.

Fast Facts

Sending your fertility up in smoke. Women who smoke: take longer to conceive, are more prone to premature menopause, are more likely to have infertility problems, have more trouble getting pregnant with techniques such as in vitro fertilisation and are more at risk of miscarriage

Among Australians, the condom is the most popular form of contraception with 52% using it as their main contraceptive method

In one out of three couples the cause of infertility is due to the man

A typical ejaculation produces between 200 million and 400 million sperm cells, but only one in a million ever reaches the egg

The chances of a woman becoming pregnant from a single act of unprotected sex increases from almost nothing on day one of her period to 25% on the day prior to ovulation.