sexual health info

FAQs about sexually transmissible infections & blood borne viruses

Below are answers to some commonly asked questions on sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and blood borne viruses (BBVs). This is general information only. For more specific information, please see a doctor or sexual health nurse or visit one of our clinics.

I used a condom and I still got an STI. What happened?

Condoms are an important part of safer sex, but they don't guarantee 100% protection against STIs or unplanned pregnancy. Many STIs, including genital warts, herpes, syphilis, pubic lice and scabies, are spread by close contact with infected skin. Using condoms is the best way to prevent infections transmitted in body fluids (e.g. chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV).

A lot of people don't use condoms when they have oral sex because they forget infections can be passed on this way. Condoms can also break, especially if they're used with an oil based lubricant or stored the wrong way (e.g. warm places like your car glove box). If a condom does break, you can use emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy, but it won't prevent you from getting an STI.

The safest sex is sex with one regular partner when you know you're both infection-free and when you use a condom to keep it that way. If you change partners often, you should have regular sexual health checks, at least once or twice a year, and you should keep using condoms the right way, every time you have sex.

I've been having casual sex with the same guy, but we never use protection. I've taken the morning after pill three times. Are there any risks in doing this?

Emergency contraception (EC), often called 'the morning after pill', isn't recommended for frequent use because it has a higher failure rate than regular contraception. You're also at risk of getting a sexually transmissible infection (STI). Chlamydia, the most common STI, often has no symptoms, but can cause infertility, chronic pain and infection of the liver and joints. The best way to protect yourself is to use a condom the right way every time you have sex.

You should also have a urine test to see whether you've got chlamydia. If you do, it can be treated with a single dose of antibiotics. It's also a good idea to talk to a doctor about the different types pf contraception available to help you choose the method that best suits your body and lifestyle.

My friend says you can catch hepatitis C by using a rusty razor. Is this true?

Although the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is common, it's quite difficult to pass on, with the exception of blood-to-blood contact. However, sharing razor blades, toothbrushes and other sharp personal items can spread the infection if someone has HCV. It's not the rust that spreads HCV, but the tiny amounts of blood that are too small to see that contain the virus.

Sharing intravenous drug equipment is still the highest risk factor for HCV infection. If you think you might have been exposed to HCV, a doctor can arrange for you to have a simple blood test to find out.