Common Believed Myths and Misconceptions About Sexual Health

Sexual health or reproductive health determines the fitness of an individual’s reproductive system and sexual well-being during all the stages of life. Sexual health is about overall reproductive well-being, not just the absence of disease or any sexual health conditions. Sexual health should involve respect, safety, improved health, hygiene, and freedom from discrimination as well as violence. Majority of world’s population don’t feel like free-speaking about their sexual health and issues which leads to misconceptions and limited knowledge and awareness.

There are many people in less advanced or rural regions who never pay any importance to sexual satisfaction of women as they think, it’s just meant for men and some even believe that sexual intercourse is just for giving birth to offspring. However, for the awareness of these people it will take more than a decade to reach the advanced beliefs and discoveries of this world. And for the people like us who are still in the dark of common sexual health myths and misconceptions, it’s time to bust these myths.

Here are they:

1. Using condoms ensure safe sex

The fact is using condoms during sex can actually increase the chances of risk-free sex, preventing you from getting pregnant. But it is not exactly true or right, pregnancy may also take place if the condom bursts during the copulation, or it is worn in a wrong manner. Therefore, it’s highly essential to get the right condom and wear it properly.

2. Oral sex is safe

It is absolutely true that having oral sex never cause pregnancy but can cause sexually transmitted infections. The reason is if any of the person between two partners have STI, the body fluids such as semen, vagina discharge are fully potent to cause infection travelling through the mouth.

3. HIV can be transmitted through any body fluids

HIV is indeed transmitted through bodily fluids but that is limited to only four body fluids such as blood, semen, breast milk and vaginal secretions. HIV cannot be transmitted through any of other bodily fluids such as sweat, urine, saliva, tears or even runny nose fluids.

4. Withdrawal method before ejaculation is safe

Usually people think pulling out the penis before ejaculation can help in preventing pregnancy but the truth is men secrete fluid even before the ejaculation phase and women secrete a vaginal fluid during the arousal as well, this exchange of fluids might not potentially cause pregnancy but can do cause sexually transmitted infections, even if the male partner pulls out before ejaculating.

5. Urinating after intercourse is of no use for infections

Another common sexual health myth and misconception is people believe urinating has nothing to do with infection associated with sex but the truth is it is recommended by experts and doctors to empty your bladder after having sexual intercourse, because the bacteria can get into the woman’s urethra while having sex, increasing the risk of UTIs or urinary tract infections, and peeing soon after sex, helps in flushing bacteria out of the urethra before they could even travel to your bladder.

6. Infertility happens only to woman

It’s a complete myth and misconception of many people. Infertility can happen to both men and women. According to researches, 10–15 percent of couples in India are infertile, and both men and women contribute equally to infertility. Common causes of infertility in men are erectile dysfunction, low sperm count, poor sperm mobility, abnormal sperm production and function, and damage associated to cancer and its treatment

7. Sperm is short-lived post ejaculation

It’s a myth. Post ejaculation, a male’s sperm can live in the female reproductive tract for up to four to five days, even if the female thoroughly washes herself after sex. Which is why, a man when does sex with a woman, even a few days before her ovulation there are still chances of pregnancy.

8. STI infection can contract from a toilet seat

Another common myth and misconception about sexual health is STIs can spread through the virus left on the toilet seat used by the STI infected person. The truth is STI spreads through unprotected anal, vaginal, or oral sex, or even by genital contact and sharing sex toys. The virus that causes STI cannot survive for longer period outside the human body, so they usually die quickly on toilet seats surfaces.

9. Conceiving is impossible during periods

People who believe women can’t get pregnant while having sex during periods, they need to revise their sexual health awareness. Some women experience long periods which overlaps with the initial days of ovulation, which implies they can actually be fertile during those menstruating days.

10. Birth control pills cause weight gain

Birth control pills increases estrogen and progestin levels in female’s body but there are not sufficient or any solid proof against oral contraceptives causing weight gain. As if you follow active lifestyle and right balanced diet, you may not actually gain weight.

11. STI infection would manifest symptoms

The most common misconception and myth about sexual health are one would know if one or another person has STI because it would manifest symptoms. People who have STIs do not always manifest symptoms, thus it can be hard to tell if a person has got STI and STD without proper diagnosis.

12. STI happens to those having multiple sexual partners

If a person is sexually active is always at risk of catching STI infection even with first sexual intercourse trial irrespective of their age, gender and sexuality. Nobody is immune to STIs and this infection do no discrimination.