Use condoms

Healthysexuals protect themselves and their partner/s by having safer sex.

Sexually transmissible infections (STIs) are passed on through vaginal, oral and anal sex. Most STIs are passed on by sharing certain body fluids (semen, blood, vaginal fluid) or by skin-to-skin contact.

Safer sex is all about protecting yourself and your partner/s from STIs and unintended pregnancy. Safer sex helps you stay healthy and can make sex more pleasurable.

There are lots of ways you can make sex safer.

Use condoms and/ or dams with water-based lubricants

Using condoms and dams with water-based lubricant is the best way to protect you and your sexual partner/s against STI’s. Condoms and dams provide a barrier from body fluids and skin-to-skin contact over the covered areas.

Condoms are the only form of contraception that protects against both pregnancy and STIs. It is important to use condoms correctly for them to be effective.

See How to use a condom (external site).

Have regular STI check-ups

If you have ever been sexually active, an STI check-up is the only way to be sure you don’t have an STI. To find what some common STI tests are see ‘get tested’.

Get treated if you have an STI

Most STIs are easily treated and managed. It is important to get treated as soon as possible because the sooner you start, the more effective the treatment is. It is important to finish your course of medication even if the symptoms are minimal or disappear. Common STIs, like chlamydia, can usually be treated by a simple course of antibiotics

Tell all your sexual partners if you get an STI

If you get diagnosed with an STI, it is important to let your recent sexual partner/s know so  they can get tested and treated too. This is called contact tracing and is an important part of preventing STIs (and can help stop you getting the STI again). You can also send someone a personal or anonymous message via Let them know (external site).

Talk honestly with your partner/s

Conversations with your partner/s might include agreeing to only have sex with one another and getting tested and treated (if needed) before you stop using condoms or dams.

For more information see Talk.

Sexual activities that are lower risk

Some kinds of sex are safer than others when it comes to reducing the risk of STIs and pregnancy.

Lower risk activities include kissing, masturbating, mutual masturbating, touching your partner's genitals (as long as you don't get any of their sexual fluids on or in your mouth or genitals), touching over clothes (sometimes called dry humping), and oral sex.

Lower risk doesn't mean no risk, and it is still possible to get certain STIs from these activities, so using a condom/dam to avoid contact with skin and fluids is the most effective way to prevent STIs.

Get vaccinated

Vaccinations are available for some STIs such as hepatitis A and B, HPV (the virus that can cause genital warts and genital cancers), and mpox.

Vaccinations help you to develop immunity so that if you are exposed to these viruses, you are less likely to get an infection, or if you do get an infection, it can make you feel less sick and for a shorter time.

Vaccinations for each virus are different, and some require more than one dose to be most effective. Talk to a health professional about vaccinations which might be appropriate for you.

Vaccinations are available for free through the childhood immunisation schedule and school-based immunisation. Some vaccinations are also available at community pharmacies.

Further information on immunisation (external site).

Contraception

Contraception refers to methods to prevent pregnancy. If you are having penis- in-vagina sex and you would like to prevent pregnancy, there are many different contraception methods available. Condoms are the only contraception method that also prevents STIs. It is important to find the contraception method that works best for you and your partner.

Your doctor or places like Sexual Health Quarters (external site) can help you explore your contraception options. 

More information about all the contraception methods (external site).

PrEP

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. This is a medication that can be taken to help prevent HIV infection. If you think you may be at risk of HIV, talk to your doctor or health care professional to see if PrEP is an option for you.

Further information about PrEP (external site)

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