Ask the Sexpert

Dear Sexpert,

I am a freshman girl, and I only recently started having sex. I was talking to one of my friends, who is pretty experienced, and she said that I don’t have to worry about using condoms because no one at Princeton has STIs. But another friend said that even though I won’t catch anything, I should always use condoms to make sure that I don’t get pregnant. What do I do?

— To Condom orNot to Condom

Dear To or Not to,

It sounds like you are feeling confused because of conflicting information. On the one hand, you have heard that there are no sexually transmitted infections at Princeton but, on the other hand, you are also concerned about preventing pregnancy. Let’s dispel that first myth: According to University Health Services, there are documented cases of every common STI at Princeton every year. Nationally, one in four adults has an STI, and many are asymptomatic. This means they may not have symptoms and may not be aware that they have an STI, but could still be spreading it to their partner(s). On college campuses, the most common STIs are genital warts, chlamydia and herpes. The good news is that most bacterial STIs, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, are treatable with antibiotics if they are detected early. If you are sexually active, routine testing is a good idea, even if you do not think you have an STI. Sexual Health and Wellness at University Health Services/McCosh provides STI testing at a low cost and care for infections and sexually transmitted diseases.

The only 100 percent effective method to prevent contracting an STI is abstinence. If you do choose to engage in sexual activity, a barrier protection method, such as a condom, is your best form of protection. Condoms, as well as dental dams, can also be used to provide protection during oral sex. Correct use of these barriers is essential to the effectiveness of prevention. If you are in a monogamous relationship and you and your partner have both tested negative for STIs, you can engage in safer sexual activity without a protective barrier. However, the condom is the only method of contraception that also protects from STI contraction.

If you are concerned about preventing pregnancy, you may want to consider using a condom or another contraceptive method. A diaphragm is a device that covers the cervix, preventing sperm from entering the uterus. It must be covered with spermicide before each sexual encounter in order to be fully effective. There are a number of hormonal contraceptives available as well, such as intrauterine devices, birth control pills, contraceptive patches, vaginal rings and Depo-Provera. Talk with your healthcare provider or a clinician at SHAW about which method of contraception is best for you.

While sometimes your friends can be good sources of information, when you receive conflicting advice from them, you can find reliable information about sexual and reproductive health at SHAW and online athttp://bedsider.orgorhttp://plannedparenthood.org.

— The Sexpert

Interested in Sexual Health? The Sexpert is always looking for members of the community to join the team of sexual health educators who, along with fact-checking from University health professionals, help write these columns. Emailsexpert@dailyprincetonian.comfor more information and questions about sexual health. Don’t be shy!