5 Things to Know about Your Sexual Exposure

Sexual exposure refers to the risks of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Your risk varies depending on your number of sexual partners and how many partners they have had as well.

In this blog, we'll break down some of the basic facts on sexual exposure, what you can do to limit your risks, and provide you with resources to learn more about sexual health. Here are 5 things you need to know about your sexual exposure:

1.) You Have Control

You heard me right! Your sexual exposure is your choice. You are the person who decides whether to expose yourself to STDs. Let me repeat the last sentence for dramatic affect. You are the person who decides whether or not to expose yourself to STDs!! This is empowering, especially since the number of infected people is constantly increasing. All of this said, you live in a time when more is known about diseases than ever before. Use this abundance of information to protect yourself from life-long STDs.

2.) STDs are Sneaky

The former U.S. Surgeon General states, “When you have sex with someone, you are having sex with everyone they have had sex with for the last ten years, and everyone they and their partners have had sex with for the last ten years.

One reason STDs are easily spread is that many will not show symptoms for months, even years. So, you could be exposed to someone who does not know they are infected. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is very common for a person to have an STD without experiencing any of the symptoms. STDs such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Herpes, Trichomoniasis, and HPV often do not manifest in symptoms in an infected person. This is why regular STD testing is so important.

3.) More Partners = Higher Risk

Each time you choose another partner, your chance of contracting a sexually transmitted disease goes up dramatically.

You could have sexual contact with one person and contract a disease for life. With roughly 20 million new sexually transmitted infections occurring every year, you can imagine the consequences of sexual exposure. And sadly, one in two active persons will contract a sexually transmitted disease by the age of 25.

When I first read that statistic, my heart broke! How can this be? Because disease is not only spread through intercourse, it is spread through any sexual contact. What is sexual contact exactly? Great, great question! This could be intercourse, oral sex, genital touching or even sharing sex toys. And with diseases like Chlamydia, Syphilis, AIDS and HPV, these infections can be life threatening and/or life altering.

4.) Condoms Help ... To An Extent

The Centers for Disease Control has done many studies on STDs regarding condoms and has learned many things. Condoms when used regularly and correctly may reduce the chance of contracting an STDs but there is still a risk. The reality is that you can be infected with any STD even when using condoms 100% of the time. Is this really a gamble worth taking when considering there are 20 million new STI occurrences each year?

5.) Desiring sex is normal…

Sex is not the problem, it's how we treat sex and our bodies that is causing the problem. The only guaranteed way to avoid infection with a sexually transmitted disease is to practice abstinence (abstain from sexual contact) while single. Showing respect to yourself and to those around you will not only protect you emotionally but will protect you physically from lifelong STDs.

Sexual Health Resources

If you have any questions/ concerns about your sexual health and would like some counsel on the subject, Birth Choice would love to help!

It’s your personal choice to expose yourself sexually. Birth Choice believes you can make it a good, well-informed choice.