Prevention Measures for STIs

Preventing means reducing risk

An STI is spread when a microorganism (a bacterium, a virus, or another kind) passes from one person to another through sexual contact: through body fluids or through skin and mucous membranes touching. That is why prevention means cutting off that path.

There are three ways to do it:

• Before contact: prepare the body so it can defend itself (vaccines).

• During contact: place a physical barrier between the people (condom).

• Avoid sexual contact: not having sexual relations (abstinence).

Vaccination: defenses ready in advance

A vaccine trains the immune system to recognize a microorganism before it encounters it. If the real microorganism arrives later, the body responds quickly and either avoids the disease or makes it much milder.

There are vaccines against two infections that can be transmitted sexually:

• HPV (human papillomavirus): it can cause genital warts and, over the years, cervical cancer. In Mexico it is given at school, during vaccination campaigns, to girls and boys.

• Hepatitis B: a virus that damages the liver. It has been part of the National Vaccination Schedule since childhood.

Check your National Health Card (Cartilla Nacional de Salud): it records the vaccines you have already received. If you are missing any, ask at your health center.

The condom: a physical barrier

The condom (male or female) is a barrier method: it keeps body fluids, and a good part of skin-to-skin contact, from passing from one person to another. For this reason it reduces the risk of many STIs and also of pregnancy. This is called dual protection; it is studied in detail in the section on the condom.

For it to work, it must be used correctly:

It is available at pharmacies, supermarkets, and free of charge at health centers and adolescent-friendly services.

Abstinence

Abstinence is the decision not to have sexual relations. If there is no sexual contact, there is no transmission by that route, so it is the safest measure against STIs and against pregnancy.

It is a personal decision. What matters is that no one can pressure you: starting sexual activity must always be a consensual, free, and informed decision, and you can say "no" or "not yet" at any time. Making this decision is part of your life plan.

Health services and early detection

Many STIs cause no symptoms at first. A person can be infected without knowing it and pass it on. That is why, in addition to prevention, screening is useful: simple tests done at clinics and health centers (IMSS, ISSSTE, Ministry of Health).

• Bacterial STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis) are cured with antibiotics if detected in time.

• Viral STIs (HIV, HPV, herpes, hepatitis B) cannot be completely cured, but many can be controlled with treatment and medical follow-up.

If you have questions or symptoms, or think you may have been at risk, go to an adolescent-friendly service: there you will be treated with respect, confidentiality, and without judgment. Do not self-medicate or follow advice about "remedies" from social media.

Go back to the beginning: washing up afterward or taking a pill does not prevent STIs. What does reduce the risk is getting vaccinated, using a condom correctly and, if that is the decision, abstinence, along with going to health services.

Summary