What are the odds of me getting an STD?

If you’re sexually active, you may have had doubts if you’ve contracted a sexually transmitted disease.  A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is an infectious illness that is transmitted through unprotected sexual activity.  A lot of things factor into the likelihood of getting an STD during any sexual encounter and if not detected and treated early on, can lead to life-long illnesses.

What factors contribute to the risk of contracting an STD?

A simple risk assessment includes reviewing:

• How you have sex (manual, anal, vaginal, or oral)
• How many partners you’ve had
• Whether you’re practicing safe sex
• Whether your partner has an STD and severity of infection
• If you have breaks in your skin that leave you susceptible to infection
• Your overall health

What does it mean to have safer sex?

Using barrier methods such as condoms or dental dams every time you engage in sexual activity can dramatically decrease your risk of contracting an STD.  You can also improve your odds of remaining STD-free by being involved in a mutually monogamous relationship, by only having sex with one partner and receiving STD test together.

How can I reduce my chances of getting an STD?

By talking to your partner about STDs, getting regularly screened, and practicing safe sex, you can lower your odds of getting infected with an STD.

Where can I go to get tested?

Getting tested for STDs is easily one of the most important things you can do to protect your health.  While you should have a candid conversation with your healthcare provider about your sexual health, this conversation can be uncomfortable.  Many walk-in clinics like AFC Urgent Care Natick provide a friendly atmosphere and offer low-cost discreet STD testing.

At AFC Urgent Care Natick, we provide a number of services to help lower your risk of contracting STDs by providing STD testing services and offering PrEP prescriptions.

For more information on the services we provide, please call us at 508-650-6208.