While we’ve come a long way in doing away with the taboo nature of preventive sexual health—like testing forsexually transmitted infections (STIs)and accessingbirth control—I still notice a hesitancy from some people in seeking care because of embarrassment.

Too often, I have seen people shy away from STI treatment because they are ashamed of their diagnosis. Preventive sexual health is nothing to be ashamed of. You should be proud you’re taking care of yourself.

No matter what preventive health care you seek, you can keep those conversations and treatments between you and a healthcare provider. And while I completely understand the desire for privacy, please remember that you are not the first to have an STI or start birth control. No shame. But again, as healthcare providers, we understand your wish to keep things private.

With that, I want to encourage everyone to stay on top of their preventive sexual health.

Preventive sexual health is nothing to be ashamed of. You should be proud you’re taking care of yourself.

What Is Preventive Sexual Health?

Managing your sexual health can include the following:

Below, these three preventive sexual health measures and your privacy rights are outlined.

STI Testing

STI testing is not a routine part of an annual checkup and often needs to be requested.

The most common STIs include:

To determine which STI you should be tested for, it’s important to be completely transparent with a healthcare provider about your sex life. This includes:

These factors can determine which type of STI testing you should receive. Sharing details about your sex life may seem personal (it is), but it’s necessary when discussing aspects of sexual health.

Family Planning

When discussing family planning with a healthcare provider, birth control is likely a focus.

Depending on your plans, your birth control options can vary. It’s important to be transparent with your healthcare provider, so they can point you in the right direction when choosing a birth control option.

Birth control options include:

Some may consider “natural” methods likeabstinence, outercourse, andwithdrawal. Although, these are generally not considered forms of birth control.

When choosing your birth control method, it’s important to keep your family planning decisions in mind. Questions to ask yourself (and share with a healthcare provider) include:

Sexual Health Education

If you want to learn more about sexual health, a healthcare provider can provide more information.

Other places to get information include:

Your Privacy

Other states have consent laws that include pregnancy prevention and care and—sometimes—abortion services.

Gynecologist Visit: What to Know

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021;70(4):1-187. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7004a1

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Confidentiality in adolescent health care.

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