If you cheat on your partner, not only are you putting your relationship wellness at risk, but you’re also threatening your sexual health. This is according to a new study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine which has found that cheating on your partner could increase your risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
According to the researchers at the University of Michigan, people who jump into bed with someone without their partner’s knowledge are unlikely to practice safe sex, possibly because they are more likely to have had a drink. Yet, the wellbeing of those in open relationships is less at risk of contracting an STD, which is possibly due to the fact that these people are more often sober when they sleep with someone else and are more sexually aware,
Lead researcher Dr Terri Conley reported, ‘Our research suggests that people who are unfaithful to their monogamous romantic partners pose a greater risk for STDs than those who actively negotiate non-monogamy in their relationship.’ It has already been established that monogamy is an effective method for preventing STDs spreading, but this is only the case if you and your partner test negative for infections at the start of a relationship, and, obviously, don’t sleep with anyone else who may have one.
Therefore, the researchers posted an online advert asking respondents whether or not monogamy can be a preventative method for STDs, and if people in an open sexual relationship practice safe sex. 1,647 people responded to the advert, 801 of whom admitting to having sex with someone other than their partner. Of these people, 493 claimed that this had happened as part of a negotiated non-monogamous relationship, and 308 stated they were sexually unfaithful to their partner.
The study revealed that 27% of cheats use condoms, compared to 35% of those in an open relationship. Cheating partners in a monogamous relationship were also 64% higher in terms of drug and alcohol use. Dr Conley concluded, ‘If people do not find monogamy appealing or feasible, they clearly need to think about the risk this poses to their partner and consider whether an open relationship would suit their needs better, and better protect their relationship partners.’
Irwin Goldstein, editor-in-chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine, commented, ‘More work is needed in both prevention of and education about sexually transmitted diseases. This research is of particular interest because it reveals that monogamous relationships are not always monogamous which can have resultant sexual health implications.’
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