Take Control of Your Sexual Health | Women’s Health (PrEP to Protect You and Your Baby) | Why PrEP? | More About PrEP Meds | What to Expect at Your Visit | Downloadable Infographics
This information was prepared for you by
Jonathan Shuter, MD, a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Uriel Felsen, MD, an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Raffaele M. Bernardo, DO, an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
SUMMARY:
Who you have sex with and what kind of sex you have are your choices. Some things, like who else your partner or partners have sex with, are out of your control but can affect you. The group of infections that can be passed through sex have been called many different names: venereal diseases or VDs, sexually transmitted diseases or STDs, and sexually transmitted infections or STIs. On this site, we will call them STDs.
How You Can Take Control of your Sexual Health
- It’s possible to have sex with someone and not know they have an STD or HIV, but there are tools available that can help you take control of your sexual health
- Good tests are available for most STDs
- Good treatments are available for most STDs
- There are vaccines against STD viruses like HPV and hepatitis B that also prevent cancers
- Talk to your healthcare team and learn about PrEP
- When you take PrEP, you take control of your risk for HIV
- You choose your health care team
- You choose your PrEP medicine
- By checking in with your healthcare professional, you can make sure that
- PrEP is a good option and safe for you
- You check, treat, and control your risk for other STDs
- Making the decision to take control of your sexual health is powerful | Your sexual health is just as important as other parts of your health
- Some additional things you can discuss with your healthcare professional include
- Eating healthier
- Exercising more
- If you smoke, talk to your health care team about quitting
- If you use alcohol or other drugs, talk to your health care team about getting help to cut down or quit
- If you have depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues, work with your healthcare team so you can get the help that you need
- Vaccines can prevent serious infections, and new vaccine information comes out every year | Make sure with your health care team that you get all the vaccines that are right for you
- Remember that heart disease is the #1 killer in the US | Keeping your heart healthy can add years to your life
- If you have high blood pressure, work with your health care team to get it under control
- If you have diabetes, work with your health care team to manage your sugar
- If you have high cholesterol, work with your health care team to bring it down
Remember, you are driving this train. Do everything that you can to make sure that the ride is smooth, the journey is enjoyable, and that you reach your destination safely and in good health
Learn More – Primary Sources
There are many good websites with information people interested in learning more about PrEP. Here are a few:
CDC: PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis)
New York State Department of Health
PleasePrEPMe (California State)
CDC: PrEP Is for Women (cdc.gov)
Commercial Support
This educational activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Gilead Sciences
Faculty Disclosures
Dr. Shuter has no relevant financial relationships to disclose
Dr. Felsen has no relevant financial relationships to disclose
Dr. Bernardo has no relevant financial relationships to disclose