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Myths about safe sex and sexual health are debunked
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
Sometimes the desire to learn more about sex leads us not to a specialist's office who can give qualified advice, but to the vastness of the Internet. The danger of searching for advice on the Internet is that some sites about healthy living give distorted, sometimes outdated and quite confusing advice.
Adolescent medicine specialist Dr. Sophia Yen from the Lucile Packard Clinic in California decided to compile a list of the most common misconceptions related to sexual life.
Myth #1
Toilet seats are a breeding ground for sexually transmitted infections
Viruses of sexually transmitted diseases cannot survive for long outside the body, especially on the cold surface of the toilet seat. Also, pathogens of these diseases cannot be present in urine, so the risk of becoming infected simply by sitting on the toilet seat is zero.
What you really need to be careful of is contact with questionable characters. Herpes, chlamydia, and oral gonorrhea can be transmitted through direct tactile or oral contact. And scabies, herpes, genital warts, and pubic lice can be transmitted through skin-to-skin friction.
Myth #2
You can't get pregnant the first time you have sex
All this is fiction, invented by no one knows who. The chances of getting pregnant during the first sexual contact are exactly the same as a year after the start of sexual activity.
Myth #3
You can't get pregnant during your period.
Yes, it is true that the chances of getting pregnant during your period are very small, but still, such a danger exists. Some women stop menstruating during the period of ovulation.
Myth #4
Taking contraceptives the morning after sex terminates pregnancy
Once the fertilized egg has attached to the uterine wall, taking regular contraceptives will no longer help. According to the survey, 30% of couples consider this method effective.
Myth #5
Birth control pills can make you gain weight
Despite the fact that studies have not found a link between the use of contraceptives and excess weight gain, most people continue to believe that it is the use of contraceptives that causes weight problems.
Myth #6
Intrauterine device is dangerous for young girls
An intrauterine device is a small device that is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. It is a very convenient method of contraception, when you do not need to monitor the intake of pills and use a condom. Research by scientists shows that the IUD does not pose a danger to girls under 18 years of age.
Myth #7
HPV vaccine protects against cervical cancer
Civarex and Gardasil are vaccines that block two types of human papillomavirus, which are the most common cause of cervical cancer. However, despite this, about 30% of cervical cancer cases occur regardless of whether the vaccine was given or not.
Myth #8
Douching helps maintain sexual health
Sometimes douching can do more harm than good. The vagina cleans itself - this is monitored by bacteria that make up the microflora. It is also wrong to think that douching will protect against pregnancy and venereal diseases.