Why you should have protective sex

Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Getty Images. Think you're having safe sex? Think again.

There were certain things that the s just did better — including getting the word out about the dangers of unprotected sex. Other reports have found that while teenagers are likely to use a condom the first time they have sex, their behavior becomes inconsistent after that. Americans ages 15 to 24 contract chlamydia and gonorrhea at four times the rate of the general population, and those in their early 20s have the highest reported cases of syphilis and HIV. Young men and women are more likely than older people to report having no sex in the past year, yet those who are having sex are more likely to have multiple partners, which increases the risk of STDs. The fear of the disease gave heft to safe-sex campaigns.

There's no way around it: condoms are safe and effective. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just plain wrong. There's a lot of misinformation out there, and it's time we debunked common condom myths.

It's important to use condoms to help reduce the spread of STI sexually transmitted infections. These infections include HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus , chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, and syphilis. You can get an STI through having sex -- vaginal, anal, or oral. The most effective way to avoid getting an STI is to not have sex. Another way is to limit sex to one partner who also limits his or her sex in the same way.