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Condoms and STD Protection


At the 2011 Annual Clinical Meeting of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists gyno physicians were updated in STDs. The fact remains that over 40 million Americans have an incurable STD and it’s important to understand how to best protect ourselves. Dr. Jennifer Gunter of San Francisco pointed out that while your best way of protection against STDs is to use a condom, only 40% of people use condoms when they first have a new sexual partner. You can protect yourself, just don’t leave home without them (condoms). Oddly some studies show that married people are more likely to use condoms than unmarried couples, although the couples with steady partners are less at risk. The protection mantra in Uganda is the “ABC” strategy: abstinence, being faithful, and condom use. Although abstinence will always be condoms at protection, it reduces one’s chance of getting HIV by over 85% and HPV by 70% and HSV (Herpes) by 30%. Now you have to remember a few facts. You need to use a condom that fits, and too loose a condom will not only interfere with pleasure, but it will be more likely to break or slide right off and cannot be as protective. Spermacide with the condom does enhance it's effectiveness.  So now and then you need to gab to your gyno about condoms, no matter what type of contraception you are on.

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