The internet is a great source of information for whatever you need to know about, but it can also be a risky place when it comes to your health. There are so many conflicting opinions online, as well as plenty of myths that can seem plausible if you’re not sure of the basic facts. A recent study carried out by Stanford University found that online information on adolescent reproductive health is riddled with errors and misinformation, which could mean that many of us are believing the wrong information and risking our health in the process. Here are some of the most common myths around sexual health and safe sex practices.
The first myth which many people buy into is that you can catch an STD from toilet seats, but this is a complete lie – most infections and diseases can’t survive outside of the body for very long, particularly on a cold and hard surface. This doesn’t even touch on the fact that urine is usually sterile, so you won’t find any STDs being transmitted through it. The main risks when it comes to the spread of STDs are mistakenly innocent activities such as skin-to-skin or mouth-to-mouth contact, which is a possible risk for those carrying STDs. Kissing can lead to herpes, or even oral gonorrhoea, and skin rubbing can spread pubic lice or scabies.
Another one which teens often fall for is the myth that you can’t get pregnant the first time you have sex. It may seem unlikely, but it’s a risk that’s not worth it – it’s been proven that around 20 percent of people get pregnant within the first month of having sex, and you’re just as likely to get pregnant on the first time as any other in your life. Going sans-contraception also puts you at risk of catching STDs. The same can be said of having sex while a woman is on her period – it’s unlikely that you’ll get pregnant, but it can still happen. Sperm can survive in your reproductive tract for up to 72 hours, so if you have sex too close to the end of your cycle you could still get pregnant.
The morning after pill is sometimes thought of as an abortion, but this is not true. If you take the morning after pill when you are already pregnant, in other words when the egg has been fertilised, then it won’t make any difference. There is a difference in the drugs used for post-coital contraception and abortions, which is not always made clear by websites and could lead to a risky misunderstanding. Often, women avoid contraceptive pills as they believe that they will make them gain weight. The truth is that there has been little to no evidence of this, even though people still claim it is true. If you do happen to gain weight whilst on contraception, there is no proof that the pill is to blame. Many teenagers also believe that they are unable to use the IUD as it isn’t safe for adolescents – outdated information used to claim that women under the age of 18 weren’t able to have the IUD fitted as it wasn’t safe, but this is no longer thought to be the case. It’s a safe, effective and long-term solution to contraception that many people now opt for. If you’re looking for something stress-free which means you can put the thought of contraception out of your mind for many years, this is a great choice and offers next to no risks.