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Some people choose to be monogamous, while other people prefer non-monogamous relationships. A person also may not be attracted to, or interested in, having a sexual or romantic relationship with other people at all. Monogamy: Having a...

Being monogamous can mean different things to different people. Some people may be open to their partner forming a close emotional bond with someone else as long as the relationship does not become sexual. Other people may want to include...

Open marriages or open relationships: A committed relationship where one or both partners may be free to have sex with other people individually, or the couple may invite other people to have sex with them together. Swinging: When...

Asex: Having no obvious sex or sex organs. Asexual can also refer to a person who does not experience sexual attraction. Assigned female at birth (AFAB): People who are declared to be female at birth based on how their genitals appear, and...

Preventing STIs An STI is caused when a bacteria, virus, or parasite is passed from one person to another during sexual contact. Some kinds of sex have a lower chance of passing STIs. For example, the chance of passing an STI is much less...

Puberty As people with penises go through puberty, their bodies change. The voice deepens, body hair develops and the penis grows along with the rest of the body. Puberty happens at different ages and speeds, though most people with...

If urethritis is not caused by gonorrhea, then it is called non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU). If urethritis is treated and the symptoms still continue, then it is called recurrent urethritis. Urethritis can often be cured with antibiotics....

Atrophic vaginitis is an irritation of the vagina/internal genitals caused by thinning tissues and less moisture in the vaginal walls. This often occurs in menopause because lower amounts of the hormone estrogen are produced by the body....

You can print off the checklist provided below (under Additional Resources) and bring it with you on your next visit to your health care provider. Call ahead if you have questions about: If you need to bring ID, such as BC driver’s...

Safer Sex Your chances of getting an STI depend on the kind of sex you are having, whether or not you are using protection and how many other people in your group have the STI. STI testing In BC, rates of STI and HIV are high among men who...

Vaccines are made from weakened or killed bacteria or virus. When a person is given a vaccine, the body's immune system responds to the ‘invading’ germs. The body creates anti-bodies to the bacteria or virus which protect the person...

Managing pubic hair Trimming, shaping or removing pubic hair is a personal preference. Some people prefer to let their pubic hair grow naturally, while other people like to trim or remove their pubic hair entirely. People trim their...

It is important to consider the window period when getting tested. Tests done too early may not be accurate. The time will vary from a few days to six months depending on the infection and the test. You can pass on an STI during the window...

Sex Toys and Condoms STIs can pass from one person to another from sharing sex toys. When using sex toys, it’s important to understand how to keep them clean and how to prevent STIs from passing between partners. If sex toys are shared, it...

The term BDSM stands for ‘bondage’, ‘discipline’, ‘domination,’ ‘submission,’ ‘sadism’ and ‘masochism’. It is a broad term that includes many ways for people to use dominance and submission, bondage, pain and other activities for erotic...

A Pap test is often done at the same time as sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing. Cells from the cervix are spread on a glass slide and sent to the Cervical Cancer Screening Laboratory (CCSL) in Vancouver. It generally takes...

When you are diagnosed with a reportable STI, anyone you have had sexual contact with or shared drug equipment with needs to be notified that they have been exposed to a communicable infection.  This is sometimes called ‘contact...

Some common terms used to describe sexual orientation: Bisexual – attracted to both sexes Heterosexual/straight – attracted to a different sex Homosexual – attracted to the same sex Lesbian –  women attracted to women Gay –...

Home pregnancy tests can be bought at a drug store. You can also go to your health care provider or a clinic to get a pregnancy test. If you are pregnant and not sure what to do, it can help to talk to someone about your options. What is...

If you have a reportable STI, a health care provider will ask you about your sexual partners, and sometimes the people you share drug-equipment with. If you want, a public health nurse can work with you to plan how you will talk to...