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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...

Sexual desire and pleasure spans a lifetime; it is not uncommon for people to masturbate from their teens into late adulthood. Your sexual desires may also change over time, and masturbation is a great way to explore different kinds of...

PrEP is different from PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), as PrEP is taken before exposure to HIV and may be taken on a long-term basis. How does it work? PrEP usually comes as a combination tablet that contains two medications called...

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 –...

In most cases, PEP stops HIV from establishing itself in the body and will prevent you from becoming HIV positive. To be effective, the treatment needs to be started as soon as possible in the first 72 hours after exposure. The treatment...

Safer Sex Being trans can sometimes mean there is already a lot to talk about with new sexual partners without adding on safer sex.  But talking about protection and STI testing is an important way to lower your chances of STIs. With...

If this is a concern for you, feel free to chat with us or ask a question through this website. Common Concerns Notifying sex partners about a positive STI: The BC Centre for Disease Control, and public health nurses in each Health...

Safer Sex STIs are usually less common among women who have sex with women*.  *Here women refers to individuals with vaginas or internal genitals, including trans men and non-binary individuals. The chances of getting an STI...

Window periods are based on averages or statistics from studies. Different HIV tests have different window periods. As HIV testing technology improves, window periods may become more specific or even get shorter. HIV tests used in British...

LGV can be cured with antibiotics.  It has historically been rare in BC, but is now becoming more common, especially among men who have sex with men. Causes LGV is passed through vaginal, oral, and anal sexual contact.  This...

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...

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...

Syphilis alternates between times when it is active and inactive. When syphilis is active, there may be symptoms. When the infection is inactive, no symptoms appear even though you still have syphilis. Syphilis can be cured with...

Vaginal douching For people who were born with a vagina (natal vagina), your vagina is a self-cleaning organ. Douching flushes out the healthy bacteria, changing the pH of the vagina.  This can then make it easier for infections to...

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...

People of all genders and sexual orientations explore giving and receiving anal play. The anal region is rich with nerve endings, so stimulation in this area can feel deeply erotic. People with prostates often enjoy indirect stimulation of...

Causes HIV is passed through vaginal and anal sexual contact.  This includes both penetrative sex and sexual activities where there is an exchange of body fluids.  There is a very low chance that HIV may be passed through oral...

STIs do not affect everyone in the population equally. It is important to remember that while some groups are more affected by certain STIs than others, sexual behaviours ultimately determine a person’s individual risk for an STI. STI data...

  Reportable STIs BC Centre for Disease Control. STI/HIV Annual Reports. HPV Moore RA, Ogilvie G, Fornika D, et al. Prevalence and type distribution of human papillomavirus in 5,000 British Columbia women—implications for vaccination....