HEALTH
F
reshers’ is amazing for so many reasons. The drink, the nights out, the freebies at the freshers’ fair, hanging with your new flatmates and course mates... But perhaps best of all is all the gorgeous new faces roaming the streets that you’ve never seen before. The new term is just a big old horn-fest – sexual health clinics report that September and October are their busiest months – with beautiful strangers hooking up for a bit of a fumble before, in many cases, parting ways and never speaking again. Which is why it’s so important to stay safe. Sex, while good fun, comes with a few risks beyond a potential broken heart… some that can last way beyond your funfilled uni or college years. So how can this be avoided? Contraception is your friend. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS There are lots of different methods of contraception on the market – and in Scotland, you can get access to all of it completely free of charge. “You can have a chat and get contraception from your GP, sexual health clinic and many local pharmacies,” says Katie Henderson, a sexual health nurse with NHS Grampian. “Lots of people still think there will be negative attitudes when they come in to talk about sexual health and contraception, but things have moved on.” So what options have you got? Katie would recommend that everyone considers a method of contraception that can be used alongside condoms. While condoms are the only form of contraception that can protect you against STIs (vaginally, orally and analy), incorrect and inconsistent use may result in condom failures – and while opting for
TOP TIP If you’re drinking, remember – you’ll be making decisions that sober you would not be into. Buddy up on a night out and make a pact with your pals that you won’t let anyone stroll off with a random that they wouldn’t normally give a second glance. Try to avoid sex if you’re under the influence of drink or drugs – you’ll thank yourself for it the next day.
the pill or intrauterine contraception (coil), for instance, is great, they won’t protect against infections on their own. “There are different types of contraceptives and we are here to help you to choose the one that suits you,” says Katie. “We have pills, patches, intrauterine contraception, rings, contraceptive injections as well as male and female condoms. Each of them have different benefits. Some however take a little getting used to. For example, with pills, you need to remember to take them at the same time each day, and if you’re sick they may not work as well. Likewise, if you choose an injectable contraceptive, you need to come back for follow-up every three months.” OPTIONS “We like to promote what’s called LARC – long acting reversible contraception,” Katie adds. “For instance, an implant or an intrauterine device – it’s in and it’s fitted. An implant lasts for three years, and during that time you don’t need to do anything. It’s not affected by general illness like sickness or diarrhoea – you just need to remember when it needs to be replaced with a new one. Same goes for intrauterine contraception, which will last either five or ten years.” If you’re in a relationship (in other words – you’re not messing about with other people), and you’ve both been tested for STIs, you might decide to stop using condoms. “We know many people make the decision to stop using condoms at some point, which is down to individual choice,” Katie advises. “But to truly protect yourself and others, we would encourage using condoms as well as a method of contraception, particularly if you have more than one partner.” So book yourself into your local sexual health clinic and go see what options are out there for you. Trust us – sex is so much more fun if you know you’re not getting any surprises out of it further down the line…
MORE INFORMATION
The Ins and Outs www.theinsandouts.co.uk
Sexual Health Scotland www.sexualhealthscotland.co.uk
TOP TIP
Emergency contraception works best if taken ASAP. It’s available free from most local pharmacies up to five days after unprotected sex. If you’ve had unprotected sex over five days ago, there may still be options available and you should call your GP or local sexual health service as soon as possible.
KNOW YOUR STIs You can pick up all kinds of
infections during sex, so it pays to know the symptoms to look out for. CHLAMYDIA Most people with chlamydia don’t experience any symptoms, so if you’ve had unprotected sex? Get tested. If symptoms are present, they can include discharge, a burning sensation when peeing, and women may experience pain during sex or bleeding between periods. GENITAL WARTS As the name suggests, look out for warts on your bits. GONORRHOEA You might not develop any symptoms, but if you do, it can involve yellow or green fluid coming out of the penis and burning when peeing for guys, while ladies can experience increased discharge and pain in the abdomen. HPV The most common STI, this one is also symptom-free. SYPHILIS Early-stage syphilis signs include a small sore called a chancre. In the secondary stages, you might experience a rash, small skin growths, swollen glands or flu symptoms.
Family Planning Association www.fpa.org.uk THE STUDENT BIBLE // AUTUMN 2017
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