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Sex, Unhealthy Romantic Relationships, and Good-byes 97
- HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can cause AIDS (acquired
immune deficiency syndrome), a life-threatening disease. AIDS hinders the
body’s ability to fight infections—it’s the last stage of HIV infection and can kill
you. HIV is transmitted in several ways, including unprotected sexual contact
(vaginal, oral, or anal) with someone who has HIV; blood-to-blood contact with
someone infected with HIV (this may occur when sharing unsterile needles dur-
ing intravenous drug use); and through the breast milk of a nursing mother.
As with pregnancy, the only 100 percent safe and effective method of pro-
tection against STDs is abstinence.
In addition to herpes and HIV, there are dozens of other STDs that can have
negative effects on your health. Unprotected sex puts you at high risk for getting
them. Three million American teens are infected each year.Don’t become one
of them.
Did we have sex?
Hey Terra,
My guy friend and I were just messing around, like we do sometimes. He had just taken a
shower and I let him go inside me, only part way, one time. That wasn’t really the same as
having sex, was it?
Virgin
Dear Virgin,
Any penis-to-vagina contact is sex. And every time a guy puts his penis in your vagina (with-
out a condom), you’re at risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Sometimes teens think it’s okay to have sex if a guy’s penis is clean (you mentioned he had
just taken a shower). Even if he scrubbed with antibacterial soap, and even if he’s inside you
for only a moment, you can still get pregnant or he can give you an infection, whether or not
he ejaculates. In fact, you should take a pregnancy test to find out if you’re pregnant and see
a doctor to be tested for STDs.