The Jamaica Star :: Health :: Worried that i could be Infected by discharge

Dear Counsellor:

I hear that if I have sex and my boyfriend did not discharge in me then I wouldn't get infected with HIV even if he were infected. Is this true?

Concerned lover:

Dear concerned lover:

No, this is not true. It is possible to contact HIV the virus that causes AIDS in this manner as research has shown that pre-ejaculation fluid of an HIV infected person contains HIV. Although your boyfriend might be able to take his penis out of your vagina before he ejaculates/discharge, he has no control over the pre-ejaculation fluid.

If your boyfriend is HIV positive, that is infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, he can pass it on to you. The most sensible thing to do is to let your boyfriend use a condom every time you have sex. He should put on the condom as soon as his penis becomes erect and before it comes in contact with your genital area. However, there are other factors to take into consideration when engaging in unprotected sex such as pregnancy and other sexually transmitted infections.

IS GONORRHOEA DANGEROUS?

Dear Counsellor:

I have a burning pain whenever I pass my urine and a pus discharge from the penis. My friend told me that he thinks I'm infected with gonorrhoea. Do I really have gonorrhoea? Is gonorrhoea dangerous? Will it affect my girlfriend? We use condoms most times.

Lover boy

Dear lover boy:

It is hard to know if you are infected with gonorrhoea without getting tested. However, the symptoms you are experiencing suggest that something may be wrong and you must see a doctor right away. Yes, gonorrhoea is dangerous because if it is not treated it can cause serious and permanent problems. In men, it can move from the penis up to the prostate gland, bladder or testicles. It can make urinating difficult. The testicles can swell and become tender. The man can become sterile (unable to have children).

Gonorrhoea can affect your girlfriend because the times when you don't use a condom you will pass it on to her. In women, gonorrhoea can spread into the womb and fallopian tubes, causing an infection known as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can make a woman sterile (unable to have children)

Gonorrhoea can be cured and it is easy to treat. However, it is important to get treated early, because any damage that happens before you are treated may last the rest of your life. Early treatment is very important. You should finish all your medication even if the symptoms go away. Do not share your medication and you should stop having sex until both you and your partner are cured.

For more information on condom use, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections call the AIDS/STD Helpline at 967-3830, 967-3764 or toll free at 1888-991-4444 or write to AIDS affairs c/o the Star, 7 North Street, Kingston.