RTP, NC – Valentine’s Day 2009.
Hearts are throbbing. Come hither looks abound. Flowers and chocolate both run in short supply. If one of Cupid’s arrows finds its way to you this month (or any other time!), though, the American Social Health Association (ASHA) wants you to be safe. With that in mind, ASHA recognizes February as National Condom Month 2009.
Each year in the U.S. there are approximately 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STI), about half of which occur among youth ages 15-24. STIs often have no noticeable symptoms and can be contracted from partners who don’t have a clue they have an infection. Untreated STIs can cause a host of medical complications, including infertility.
“We encourage abstinence from sexual intercourse as the most effective way to reduce the risk of all sexually transmitted infections,"
The evidence is overwhelming that among those who are sexually active, consistent and correct condom use greatly reduces the risk of contracting infections like HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. Research has also shown that young women whose male partners use condoms regularly cut their risk of acquiring HPV significantly.
Using protection every time seems like a simple and straight-forward enough thing to do, but sometimes common sense is trumped by the heat of the moment. This is why it’s important to plan ahead and have condoms on hand.
ASHA president and CEO Lynn B. Barclay says one of the biggest reported hurdles to safer sex is negotiating condom use with partners. “There may be pressure to have unprotected sex “just this once,” or maybe a partner will complain that it doesn’t feel the same with a condom,” she says. “ASHA’s web site has a section with tips on talking with partners who are reluctant to practice safer sex. One approach is to make using condoms a fun part of sex. Teasing your partner a bit by slowly putting a condom on, for example, is just plain sexy!” Barclay adds that female condoms are an excellent alternative when a male partner can’t or won’t use a condom.
Visit www.ASHAstd.org for National Condom Month materials:
·ASHA’s condom animation video
·Talking with partners about condoms and safer sex
·How to use male and female condoms
