considering that unprotected sex has a chance of getting you STDs, how will i be able to start a family with a woman when we are both married and ready for one, without getting STDs?
When a couple decides to be monogamous (meaning they only have sex with each other and no one else) and they want to stop using condoms, the first thing they need to do is get tested for STDs. If they’re both STD free, they can start trying to get pregnant as soon as they’re ready.
STDs don’t just appear from nothing – they have to be passed from one person to another. So if you’ve been using condoms and get tested regularly (both you and anyone you have sex with), you can stay on top of the whole STD thing.
But if you do find out you have an STD, that doesn’t mean you can’t have kids. Most STDs are easy to treat, so it’s just a matter of getting the right medicine and waiting until both people have been retested before trying to get pregnant.
If one or both people find out they have an STD that can’t be cured, like HIV or herpes, there are special options that can allow them to safely get pregnant and give birth. Genital herpes can be treated with medicine that makes it less likely for someone to pass it on to their partner and to prevent complications at birth. And people living with HIV who want to start a family have options to prevent passing it to their children.
In general, anyone trying to get pregnant should speak with a doctor or nurse ahead of time to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy.
-Emily at Planned Parenthood
Tags: pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, STD testing, unprotected sex, avoiding STDs, genital herpes, pregnancy and diseases