If a condom breaks during sex, it can be scary. But knowing what to do next can help you stay safe and calm. Here’s a simple guide to help you handle the situation and lower the risks of pregnancy or getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

Unprotected sex, often referred to as intercourse without adequate contraception, can lead to unintended consequences such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This article delves into the potential risks of unprotected sex, explores emergency contraception options like levonorgestrel, EllaOne, and the copper IUD, and highlights the importance of informed decision-making for sexual health.

What Is Ovulation? Ovulation is when a mature egg is released from a woman’s ovary during her menstrual cycle. The egg travels down the fallopian tube, where it might meet sperm and become fertilized. This is the only time during the cycle when pregnancy can happen, because an egg must be present for conception to occur. Why Is Ovulation Important for Pregnancy? Knowing when ovulation happens is important if you’re trying to get pregnant. Every person’s cycle is different, so understanding your own cycle can help you time intercourse for the best chance of conception. This means learning how to track ovulation and spot your most fertile days.

Consent means agreeing to something freely, without anyone pressuring you. It is a clear, shared decision between people. Consent is not just about romantic or sexual situations. It also matters in daily life, like when you borrow something or share someone’s personal information.

Vaginal dryness is a common problem that many women have at some point in their lives. It can affect women of all ages, but it is far more common in women who are post-menopausal. It affects around 2 in 10 women under the age of 50. The symptoms of vaginal dryness can cause you to feel sore or itchy in and around your vagina. You may also feel pain or discomfort during sex and may need to pee more often than usual. Many of the symptoms of vaginal dryness can also be mistaken for other common infections, such as thrush and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Vaginal dryness can also increase your risk of recurrent UTIs.

Age is an important factor in fertility for both men and women. As people get older, it usually becomes harder to have a baby. Knowing how fertility changes in your 20s, 30s, and 40s can help you make better choices about starting a family. Other things like your health, lifestyle, and genetics also matter, but age is a big part of the picture.

You may have been put at risk of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) if you have had unprotected sex, the condom broke, split, or slipped off during sex, or you have been told a partner has an STI. STIs include gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B. You may have no symptoms from some of these, or symptoms may take weeks or months to show. It's best to get this checked out, and the best place is to attend a sexual health clinic. Look online for services near you and know that it's all confidential. If a partner has said they have an STI, you need to get treated immediately and avoid sex until treated, otherwise you can pass it back and forth between each other. Again, this is best done at a sexual health clinic. Unprotected sex also leaves women at risk of pregnancy. You can buy a pregnancy test, and it can take up to 3 weeks after unprotected sex for any pregnancy test to turn positive.

You may have been informed that a sexual partner or ex-partner has gotten a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and you may have been put at risk, so you require treatment. This can come as a shock, whether you hear it directly from your partner, an ex-partner texts you, or you receive an anonymous text from a sexual health clinic. But it’s better to know about this than be kept in the dark. STIs may or may not cause symptoms, but they can put you at risk of longer-term problems such as ongoing pain or infertility, and reliable treatments are available. Even if you have no symptoms, getting treatment will protect you and your future partners.

Dr Kandi explains how often we should be getting a sexual health screening.

Safe sex means using ways to protect yourself and your partner from getting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and from having an unplanned pregnancy. It’s not just about physical safety: it’s also about respecting each other and having open, honest talks with your partner. Practicing safe sex helps people make good choices for their health and their feelings.

Hot flushes are the most common menopause symptom, with 3 out of every 4 women experiencing the sensation across their face, chest and body. It can cause some to feel uncomfortable, with sweating, dizziness and possibly palpitations. Hot flushes come on suddenly at any time, and can last a few seconds or several minutes. Their unpredictable and all-consuming nature means they carry a high cost in terms of self-confidence, as it can feel embarrassing at work or social events. Night sweats are a particular feature, sometimes leaving the bed linen drenched. They add to insomnia that many menopausal women experience during the transition.

Pubic lice, commonly known as crabs or crab lice, are small parasitic insects that infest the pubic hair region and sometimes other areas of the body with coarse hair. While not typically considered a serious medical condition, pubic lice infestations can cause discomfort, itching, and embarrassment. Understanding the symptoms, transmission methods, and treatment options for pubic lice is essential for effective management and prevention of infestations.