Safe Sex Methods, Part II

Method #3: Withdrawal
The withdrawal method was perhaps the first real birth control or safe sex method to be developed as part of the sex education curriculum and the reason for this is a very simple one. The withdrawal birth control method is really the only one that does not utilize anything else in a material sense and for that reason it is quite easy for different couples to utilize this method for their birth control needs. The withdrawal method is simply a method that has the man pull out of the woman before orgasm and in doing so prevent the sharing of fluids that is where the problems can start both in terms of unwanted pregnancy and in terms of sexually transmitted disease. This method is a cheap and effective one if used properly, but it does require discipline on the part of the man to pull out before any ejaculation occurs. For this reason, many people prefer the other methods available. That having been said however, withdrawal is a foolproof safe sex practice if two people with discipline practice it whenever they happen to engage in sexual activity.
Method #4: Male Condoms
Perhaps the most popular birth control method currently available on the market is the male condom. It was the first one to be created on a manufacturing basis and ever since its creation, birth control has become a big part of the safe sex curriculum as tools have become available that have the ability to actually help in curbing the exchange of fluids that is the main causal element in disease transmission and pregnancy. A male condom is essentially a sheath that is placed over the man’s penis before penetration occurs. The man can ejaculate while still penetrating the woman and all of the fluid will be contained within the condom rather than spread out into the woman’s vagina. It is a simple principle yet one that has been effective enough for condoms to be utilized all over the world in campaigns to help stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases as well as to stop unwanted pregnancy from happening. Male condoms are disposable after a single use however and over time can end up getting expensive if the couple has sex often.
Method #5: Female Condoms
Hot on the heels of the release of the first male condom was the release of the first female condom. Female condoms function in the same way as male condoms do essentially, but are created with the female anatomy in mind. This particular birth control method, rather than forming a sheath around the man’s penis, instead forms a protective barrier around the interior of the woman’s vagina. In doing so, it prevents any sperm from entering into the vagina and potentially causing any harm. Both female condoms and male condoms are 99%+ effective on their own but when the two are combined, the end result is that a practically foolproof birth control method is created. The price concern with male condoms is also present with female condoms however, which is probably the main drawback to this particular method.

Safe Sex Methods Part 1

Introduction

Sexual exploration and sexual activity are starting to become more prevalent in younger ages in the current generation. With the oversexed society that we live in today, the simple truth of the matter is that teenagers are going to be exposed to sex at younger ages and for that reason plans need to be made for when teenagers inevitably decide to have sex one way or the other and whether to use condoms or not. There are many plans that can be put in place either for prevention or for dealing with sex and one of those plans is known as the safe sex approach. The safe sex approach is built around a number of different potential methods that can be used and for that reason it has really become the most popular method for sex education in the world today. With multiple methods to choose from, each person can pick the one that they feel would be best for them in their current life situation.

Method #1: Abstinence
One of the most controversial methods of safe sex that is utilized today is simply the method of abstinence. This is not really a safe sex method when you consider that the basic premise of this method is to avoid sex until a point in time where the consequences or potential consequences can be dealt with appropriately, but at the same time it needs to be discussed in any safe sex discussion for the simple reason that abstinence remains the most taught method around as far as sex education is concerned. The argument made by proponents of this method is that abstinence is the only sure fire method for birth control and to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. This is technically true since sex is avoided entirely and with other methods a 100% success rate is a theoretical impossibility, but studies have shown repeatedly that for practical terms, there are many other safe sex methods that are just as good as abstinence that allow teenagers to explore their natural sexual impulses.

Method #2: Monogamy
When teenagers are engaging in sexual relations, there is the impulse on the part of many teenagers to attempt to do this with more than one partner at the same time. Why this impulse exists is a question for sociologists to tackle, but scientists can already show with startling clarity that multiple sexual relationships at once increases the chance for a negative side effect such as a sexually transmitted disease. AIDS in particular is a disease that has been shown to have logarithmic increases in the transmission as the number of sexual partners gets larger. For this reason, one reasonably smart alternative to abstinence is monogamy. Monogamy means having just one sexual partner at a time and it is the foundation for the deeper and more meaningful relationships that tend to develop around sex as well. While it too is not really a safe sex method in the modern sense of the word, it is nonetheless taught as such in most of the sex education classes that do not deal with abstinence.

Condoms and Pregnancy

Most teen girls are curious when it comes to sex in general; this means curiosity about condoms as well as other forms of birth control and types of sex. A question that can be heard all over the place among girls in wide variations of age is “Can you get pregnant if the guy wears a condom.” A lot of people are under the impression that you are one hundred percent safe as long as there is a condom present, but is it true? Do condoms always protect you one hundred percent of the time? This answer as shocking as it may be is no, even if the guy wears a condom you can still become pregnant and are still susceptible to STDs.

Condoms are usually ninety seven percent to ninety eight percent effective when used correctly. However, doing things like purchasing the wrong size condom can drop the percentage of condom effectiveness dramatically, enabling you to get pregnant even if the guy wears a condom.

When a guy buys a condom that is too small, and tries to use it anyways, the condom may roll downwards allowing semen to come out of the condom into the female’s body. If a guy is wearing a condom that is too big, semen can spill out of the edges into the female’s body. Both of these circumstances can lead in AIDs, STDs, as well as unplanned pregnancy. These things can all endanger both the male and female from having a normal life.

Condom companies like Durex condoms, Trojan Condoms, Lifestyles Condoms, and Crown Condoms among others do their best to prevent accidents with their condoms. All of these condoms make various sizes and types of condoms to enable the best protection possible and even include directions. Making sure you and your partner both know how to put on a condom is important too, it is not only the guys responsibility. If a girl doesn’t know how to put on a condom, she won’t be able to catch it if her partner does something wrong, creating a greater risk for AIDs, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and unplanned pregnancy. By making sure you both know the proper way to put on a condom, you are insuring the safest sex possible.

Safe sex shouldn’t stop at condoms though, condoms may break and mistakes do happen. If you are a sexually active female you should also look into other forms of birth control to use, aside from just condoms and this way you are protecting yourself from becoming a mother before you are ready. The same thing goes for males, condoms are not the only way to safe sex, so educating yourself on all forms of birth control is very important. Birth control includes any type of preventative measure from getting pregnant this includes spermicidal lubrication, sponges, male condoms, female condoms, as well as other various methods and knowing all of them are really important is key. Knowledge is power when it comes to being sexually active, so make sure to keep yourself educated.

HIV in Hetrosexual African

As a Hispanic woman, I can say that as a race, we have a culture all our own. Weddings are usually huge with cousins of cousins attending and aunts making brisket and rice and beans in the back kitchen. Gatherings, whether they are for holidays or birthdays or graduation parties are always enormously food-centric, so instead of asking the host what you should get as a gift, you are usually asking what food and how much you should bring. All races have their own cultural norms, so it is not surprising that research studies would focus on race as a factor for behavior. A study published in the journal “AIDS” in June 2008 by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) demonstrates that HIV prevention techniques geared towards changing the behavior of heterosexual African Americans needs to consist of many distinct characteristics in order to be effective.
Lynae Darbes, a professor of medicine at UCSF’s Center for AIDS Prevention Studies and Global Health Sciences and the lead author of the study states, “Peer education, skills training and cultural tailoring were critical factors we found in interventions that increased condoms use, reduced HIV risk behaviors and led to lower rates of sexually transmitted infections. It is important to recognize the diversity that exists within the African American community, and we are not recommending 'one size fits all' types of interventions. Successful interventions honed in on specific aspects of the target populations." The study was comprised of roughly 14,000 participants in a series of 38 controlled trials that were randomized in terms of social norms. Some examples of the norms that were focused on include how one person might perceive their risk factor for contracting AIDS, how to reduce sexual partners, their use of condoms, how to delay the first episode of sex with a new partner or a compilation of these norms. Results from the study point towards members of the African American community educating their peers in order to be more effective.
Darbes goes on to say, “Cultural tailoring was crucial and in effective interventions was derived from activities such as formative research within the target community using a 'ground up' approach as opposed to a top down or 'parachute' approach. Understanding the community was important in developing efficacious interventions." The study analyzed the controlled trials and quantified with measurements of condom use, percentage rates of unsafe or risky sex and the number of sexually transmitted diseases reported. George W. Rutherford, a co-author of the study, states, “This study shows how the technique of meta-analysis can be used to understand an entire literature and to find subtle but important associations that single studies simply can't find."