If people are sexually active and not using condoms, what is the possibility of them having a disease?
– Kamyra*
Unfortunately, it's quite possible for someone who is having sex but not using condoms to get a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
People who have sex without using condoms are at high risk of getting STDs. It doesn't matter how many people they've had sex with. Even if someone has only had one sexual partner, that partner could have a disease. (Of course, the chances of getting STDs are even higher if a person has unprotected sex with lots of different partners.)
STDs are not always obvious. So someone can have one without knowing it. Because of this, people with STDs may believe they're "clean" and tell partners there's no need to use a condom. But that's not safe. Anyone who is planning to have sex, or who has had sex, should be tested for STDs and use condoms.
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: July 2009
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*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
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