State encourages safe sex habits

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMHealth) is encouraging residents to always practice safe sex.

STI Awareness Week was observed last week and aims to raise awareness and reduce stigma around STI prevention, testing and treatment, according to a press release from the health department.

STIs — including but not limited to chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis — are viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites that occur through sexual contact and exchange of bodily fluids, the release explained. Some STIs remain asymptomatic but can still be passed to other persons through sex.

STIs don’t always cause symptoms or may only cause mild symptoms. Therefore, it is possible to have an infection and not know it. For this reason, getting an STI test is important if you are having sex, health experts stress. If you receive a positive STI diagnosis, know that all are treatable with medicine and some are curable entirely.

“STIs are very common. There are millions of infections each year in the United States,” said Janine Waters, STD program manager for NMHealth. “Knowing your STI status is a critical step to stopping STI transmission, especially since you might not have or notice symptoms without getting tested. Most STIs are easily treated and if you know you are infected you can take steps to protect yourself and your partners.”

There are resources available for people who want to prevent or treat STI’s:

• NMHIVGuide.org helps New Mexicans find testing services and treatment options through location-specific guides and searches;

• takemehome.org enables free, discreet, and in-home sexual health tests, as well as basic support sources following a possible positive result;

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides an online, location-based, testing search via gettested.cdc.gov.

The only 100-percent effective way to avoid STDs is to not have vaginal, anal or oral sex. Therefore, if you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting STDs and HIV:

• Choose safe sexual activities;

• Get vaccinated against Hepatitis B and HPV;

• Use a new condom, consistently and correctly, for every act of vaginal, anal, and oral sex throughout the entire sex act (from start to finish);

• Reduce the number of people with whom you have sex;

• Consider a harm reduction approach of less drug and alcohol use before and during sex;

• Have an honest and open talk with your healthcare provider and ask whether you should be tested for STIs and HIV.

STIs can lead to adverse birth outcomes, cancer (anal and cervical), infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and an increased risk for HIV acquisition and transmission.

NMHealth encourages all New Mexico residents to “Talk, Test, and

Treat.” Have conversations with healthcare professionals and ask questions about STI transaction, and discuss STI and testing status with current and future sexual partners. These steps decrease the risk of contracting an infection, while discouraging the fear and shame that can take over sexual health discourse and prevent treatment.

Talk to your healthcare provider and find out if either preexposure prophylaxis, or PREP, or post-exposure prophylaxis or PEP is a good option for you to prevent HIV infection.

NMHealth encourages all people to prioritize their health and the health of their loved ones and start the conversation. More information on STI’s and STD’s can be found through the CDC and on nmhealth.org.