Dear Pleasehelpp,
The safest way to protect yourself against pregnancy is a vasectomy.
If you're looking for a less permanent solution, the pill is the best
method to protect oneself against pregnancy. The pill requires
responsibility, and this could be a problem, especially for a male,
since he has no control over the actual behaviour of his sexual
partner. A female who is concerned, could use a "morning after" pill.
Similarly to the pills, there is now a monthly shot that a woman could
receive, the Depo-Provera shot, which had proved to be very effective.
However, these two methods do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
The only method that could prevent diseases is condoms. I'll quote
here Dr. Mark Schuster, director of the UCLA/Rand Center for
Adolescent Health Promotion: "There's the male condom and the female
condom, which isn?t as well known. They're not perfect?the condom can
break for example?but if used the correct way, they're very good. I
think everyone needs to remember that they're not perfect and need to
be used properly". (SOURCE: Mark Schuster, "What you need to know
about sexual health", LA Youth September 2004,
<http://www.layouth.com/4_28_10.htm>).
Most doctors today recommend a combination of two methods: a good
quality condom, with another system (pill, lotions). See also at
Schuster's Q&A:
<http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:Uirohp9v6R0J:www.layouth.com/4_28_10.htm+%22safest+way+to+have+sex%22&hl=en#2>).
How to use condoms properly?
""Well the main thing that people do wrong is not use it every time.
So if you ask someone if they use contraceptives and they say yes and
you say 'Well what's your contraceptive?' and they say 'Well condoms'
and you say 'Do you use it every time' and they're like 'No, but I use
it 8 out of 10 times' but there's always those times when they don't
use it and they can get pregnant or catch a disease. The main thing is
just to use it. But there are all sorts of other things that are
important:
? You don't want to store it like in your glove compartment where it's
going to get really hot in the summer and melt.
? When you open a condom, you have to be careful not to rip the
condom. If you do rip it, throw it away and use another one.
? There's an expiration date on the little packet--make sure that it's
not expired.
? Always have at least several with you in case one breaks.
? It needs to be rolled down the proper way, there's one way you can
roll it and another way you can't. If you put it on the wrong way,
don't just turn it over. If you do it wrong, throw it out and use
another one.
? The first time, it?s much better to have opened a condom when you're
not having sex just to see what it's like, see what it feels like, see
what it's like to open a package, how hard it is. That's a much better
way when you're not all stressed out, or excited about having sex.
? There are actually instructions on the condom packages that probably
no one ever reads. There would be a lot fewer pregnancies and diseases
if people actually read it. I don't think adults read them either,
maybe sometimes."
(Mark Schuster, ibid.).
Dr. K from the San Francisco City Clinic adds a little regarding
positions and safer ways to have sex:
"Kissing, deep kissing, mutual masturbation, erotic massage, bathing,
sex video watching, etc., are all safe sex.
Oral sex and anal-oral are safer sex activities and actually have a
very low risk of transmission of HIV. Other STDs like gonorrhoea,
Chlamydia, herpes and syphilis can be transmitted via unprotected oral
sex, though, and these STDs can increase your risk of getting HIV from
an infected partner.
[...]
The most important thing will be honest communication with your sexual
partner. If you want this relationship to last, it would be wise to
start the conversation sooner rather than later. Talk about what
activities you're comfortable with and what he is; where you would
like the relationship to go; what risks you're each willing to take
and what each of you needs. Good luck!"
(SOURCE: Dr. K., "SERO-DISCORDANT PARTNERS", SFCC,
<http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/sfcityclinic/drk/partners1.asp>).
Of course, to that you could add that not having sex at all is the
"best" way, but I guess that this is not what you were looking for.
I hope this helped. Please contact me if you need any clarification on
this answer before you rate it. Please remember, that answers on
Google Answers are not a substitute for informed medical advice. |
