The STI Project

Breaking the Stigma

Sexual Activities That Put You At Risk for STDs

By Jenelle Marie Pierce, Executive Director

Last Updated on June 4, 2020 by Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT

STDsThink you may have contracted or transmitted a sexually transmitted disease or infection? Worried about the ‘awesome’ weekend you just had and what you did over the course of too many beverages or while finally getting some alone time with the hottie you met in aisle 5 at the grocery store?

Here are the things you could be at risk of contracting or transmitting depending on the activities you engaged in.

Based on any one instance of the following, you may have been at risk for transmitting (giving to someone else) or contracting (getting it yourself) the following STDs/STIs:

STDs you could contract/transmit during vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, or vaginal intercourse with a condom that has also been used for anal intercourse:

  • Bacterial Vaginosis (BV/Vaginitis)
  • Chancroid
  • Chlamydia
  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
  • Donovanosis (granuloma inguinale)
  • Gonorrhea (‘The Clap’)
  • Hepatitis (A, B & C)
  • Herpes Simplex
  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
  • Human T Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2)
  • Human Papillomavirus (HPV, Warts)
  • Intestinal Parasites
  • Lymphogranuloma Venereum (LGV)
  • Molluscum Contagiosum
  • Mononucleosis (‘Mono’)
  • Mycoplasma Genitalium
  • Nongonococcal Urethritis (NGU)
  • Pubic Lice
  • Scabies
  • Syphilis
  • Trichomoniasis
  • Zika

STDs you could contract/transmit during oral sex (‘blow job’, ‘giving head’, ‘going down’, ‘rimming’):

  • Chlamydia
  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
  • Donovanosis
  • Gonorrhea
  • Hepatitis
  • Herpes Simplex
  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
  • Human T Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2)
  • Human Papillomavirus (HPV, Warts)
  • Intestinal Parasites
  • Lymphogranuloma Venereum (LGV)
  • Molluscum Contagiosum
  • Mononucleosis (‘Mono’)
  • Mycoplasma Genitalium
  • Nongonococcal Urethritis (NGU)
  • Pubic Lice
  • Syphilis
  • Zika

STDs you could contract/transmit during manual sex (‘hand job’ or ‘fingering’):

  • Bacterial Vaginosis (BV/Vaginitis)
  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
  • Herpes Simplex
  • Human Papillomavirus (HPV, Warts)
  • Molluscum Contagiosum
  • Mononucleosis (‘Mono’)
  • Pubic Lice
  • Scabies
  • Syphilis

STDs you could contract/transmit during kissing (‘making out’ or ‘French-kissing’ – when no open cuts inside/outside the mouth or sores are present):

  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
  • Herpes Simplex
  • Mononucleosis (‘Mono’)

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References:

Are you surprised by some of the activities and infections included in this list? Did you know you were at risk? Did this post change your opinion about what you’re comfortable doing or using protection? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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About Jenelle Marie Pierce, Executive Director

Jenelle Marie Pierce (she/her/hers) is the Executive Director of The STI Project: Breaking the Stigma® and its child sites; an Adjunct Professor; the Spokesperson for Positive Singles; and a Tri-Chair of the Communications Action Group at the National Coalition for Sexual Health (NCSH). As an STI+ Sexual Health Educator and content creator, Jenelle has been dismantling stigma by reclaiming STI narratives® through awareness, education, and acceptance since 2012. Current bylines can be found in O.School, SELF, HepatitisC.net, Kinkly, PornHub's Sexual Wellness Center, and Allure. For fun, Jenelle stays active as a group fitness instructor and also spends time camping, snow shoeing, hiking, skiing, kayaking, growing things, running through sprinklers, and building sand castles. Learn more about her here, or find her on social media: Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Tumblr.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tiffany

    This article shows that there is really no safe sex. Its scary to think that you think you are protecting yourself but you are still at risk for so many things even if you use condoms.

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