STI prevention is a key part of managing your sexual health. Sexually Transmitted Infections (or STIs) are infections that are transmitted sexually, which includes through oral, anal, or vaginal sex, sharing sex toys, and, for STIs like herpes and HPV, skin-to-skin contact.
While STIs are never a welcome surprise, getting tested is the only way to be sure of your STI status and seek treatment when needed. All STIs can be treated and managed, and most can be cured!
To prevent getting STIs in the first place, there are a number of steps you can take, including using condoms and other forms of contraception, getting tested regularly and communicating your sexual health status to your partner(s), and taking preventive medications if you think you may have been exposed to an STI. Currently the only form of preventive medication is an antibiotic called DoxyPEP. DoxyPEP is a medication that is now being used to treat bacterial STIs, such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis following likely exposure. You can think of it as a kind of Plan B for STIs. Here’s what you need to know:
If you have questions about this topic, feel free to contact one of our peer educators. [Link]
Last Updated: December 2023
Check out this article to learn more about The Native Youth Sexual Health Network, an organization by and for Indigenous youth!
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