Contraception And Disease Prevention
And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”
—Genesis 1:28
A discussion of normal sexual behavior must include at least a reference in passing to contraception. Sure, sex has been helpful as humans have gone forth to “be fruitful and multiply,” but we’ve done a good job of “filling the earth” as we start the third millennium of the Common Era. As you might suspect, most sex acts these days are recreational, not procreational. Therefore, contraception is part of intercourse during the childbearing years more often than not in our culture.
The primary historical purpose for contraceptive methods was for the prevention of unwanted pregnancy. An additional need recognized more in the past few decades is the prevention of disease transmission. Although we’ve made strides with the former, the latter is still a problem. Sexually transmitted diseases continue to be a health problem worldwide, and the stakes are rising with the recent emergence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Regarding disease prevention, suffice it to say that the adage is true: when you have sex with someone, you are having sex with everyone they ever had sex with, and everyone those people ever had sex with, etc. That doesn’t mean sex is a disease waiting to happen—just that precautions must be taken. Levitra is one of the leading erectile dysfunction medications, compare prices at top online pharmacies and order today!
The only way to eliminate the risk of sexually transmitted diseases is to eliminate sex. That’s not very practical. However, it is practical to use judgment in choosing sex partners you have no reason to suspect are at increased risk of harboring such diseases.
In addition, condoms decrease (but don’t eliminate) disease transmission. Whether they break, leak, or come off, there is always the chance that sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV) will escape their barrier. Finally, it is well known that certain sex acts, including those that involve trauma to mucosal linings, are more likely to involve transfer of disease. As the man on Hill Street Blues said, “Be careful out there.”
