How to avoid genital herpes?
The best way to avoid the spread of herpes virus and keep the herpes infection at bay is to not have oral, anal, or vaginal sex at all. The preventive steps work best when you imply all of them. No single step can guarantee you your safety from every types of STI including the genital herpes infection. The recommendations to avoid genital herpes are quite the same as for the other sexually transmitted infections. [9]
Stay away from sexual activity or limit your sexual contact with only one partner who is free from injections. However, you can engage in a sexual activity by following these steps to lower the risk of developing any sexually transmitted infections (STIs):
- Test for STIs
Be sure to go for STIs testing not only for yourself but also for your sexual partner. Talk and ware each other about the results of STIs testing before having sex.
- Use condoms
Condoms are one of the suitable ways to prevent the risk of any STIs including genital herpes infection whenever you engage in a sexual activity. Make sure to use the condom before the penis touches the anus, vagina, or mouth as a man does not require ejaculating to get or give herpes infection. Some people might confuse the suggestion of using condoms with other birth control methods like birth control shots, implants, pills, or diaphragms as these will not give you protected sex thus not preventing you from STIs. Try to use or make your partner to use latex condoms to avoid the transmission of herpes simplex virus.
- Stay monogamous
Having protected sex with only one partner can also lower the risk of getting genital herpes or other STIs. Try to stay faithful to you partner to keep yourself safe and free from herpes infection by going for regular testing for the HSV virus.
- Do not douche
Douching can remove some of the healthy bacteria residing in the vagina that actually help in protecting you from herpes infection. Douching might increase the risk of getting herpes infection.
- Limit the number of your sex partners
Limiting the number of your sexual partners can be of great help to avoid the risk of getting herpes virus infection. In addition, avoid taking a risk of having sex with anyone suffering from genital herpes infection.
- Do not use drugs or alcohol
Drinking too much alcoholic drinks or abusing drugs can increase the risky behavior which might put you at a higher risk of possible exposure to herpes infections and a sexual assault in some cases.
- Pregnancy precautions
If you are pregnant and know that you are suffering from genital herpes then tell your doctor about it. Try to do proper testing for genital herpes and undergo a detailed checkup from your gynecologist. The doctor might recommend that pregnant women should start taking antiviral herpes medications in their last trimester to avoid any outbreak of the herpes infection. The doctors will also most probably recommend going for a cesarean section child birth to lower the risk of passing virus to the baby.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC88338/
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/herpes-causes-risk-factors-1068800
- https://plushcare.com/blog/stages-herpes/
6.https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/genital-herpes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20356167
8.https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/genital-herpes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20356167