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    Lois McGuire, R.N., M.S.N., W.H.N.P.

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  • Safe sex blog

  • Sept. 20, 2008

    What is considered intercourse?

    By Lois McGuire, R.N., M.S.N., W.H.N.P.

18 comments posted

Sexual intercourse was traditionally thought of as a man inserting his penis into a woman's vagina. The term has gradually been expanded to include other forms of sexual activity or intimacy. Sexual intercourse includes vaginal, oral or anal sex. Moreover, intercourse is not limited to opposite sex partners (heterosexual relationships) but also includes same sex partners (homosexual relationships).

Yes — you could get an STD from any of these types of intercourse. Bacteria and viruses grow best in an environment that is warm, moist and dark. Any type of sexual intercourse would provide an environment for bacteria and viruses to grow.

Women are more at risk for contracting an STD. The vagina is a warm, moist and dark environment. Males are less at risk than women as the penis is open to the air and can easily be cleansed and dried off. However, anytime you exchange body fluids with a partner, you may be at risk for contracting an infection.

Oral and anal sex are often performed by adolescents to prevent the potential for pregnancy. Many adolescents don't realize that they can get STDs in their mouth or rectal area. Once again, anytime you exchange body fluids with a partner, you may be at risk for contracting an infection.

There is no kind of skin to skin sex play with a partner that is totally risk free. Practicing "safer" sex is something we all can do to protect ourselves and the person we love. "Safer" sex is for responsible people who care about their partner's pleasure and health and about their own pleasure and health. Stay tuned for safer sex information.

18 comments posted

blog index
  • November 5, 2009 10:32 a.m.

    For Mike - the one with a wife that insists on a condom at all times - get a new wife! Half-jokingly spoken. Seriously, going through life and only experiencing sex through a condom, what a flavorless horror. Safe sex, yes, but you have no idea what you are missing. I love giving oral at least as much as I love getting it, and what you are experiencing is like going to the symphony orchestra wearing ear plugs.

    - Thomas

  • July 5, 2009 9:42 p.m.

    Can you get an STD from another person if that person performs ORAL sex on YOU? Can a person with an STD transfer it to you by their mouth only?

    - Brittany

  • July 3, 2009 9:49 a.m.

    here in jordan we cant do sex until we married because of our religion islam and we doesnt have these disease at all i think the married is the only way to protect our from STD with married no STD its amazing thing

    - anas

  • May 26, 2009 6:13 p.m.

    What about can you get syphilis through a female touching herself and then she touches your hands on the top of your hands and then your touch yourself?

    - Ron

  • May 26, 2009 6:08 p.m.

    Can you get herpes or genetal warts through just touching your female partner and then touching yourself?

    - John Turner

  • April 27, 2009 11:03 a.m.

    Dear Scott, Yes, this is a possiblity. If your partner has herpes, ask her to use a suppressive medication. If she has warts, many woman are able to clear them with time or have them removed by a provider. Remember to protect yourself by wearing a condom. Both partners should get STD screening before entering a new sexual relationship.

    - Lois McGuire

  • April 22, 2009 7:52 a.m.

    Can you get herpes or genetal warts through just touching your female partner and then touching yourself?

    - Scott

  • March 19, 2009 4:45 p.m.

    I recently had unprotected sex with my partner and although I am not pregnant my vagina seems to have become a little itchy. I'm not sure whether or not I have a STD or not. what is the best thing to do?

    - sarah

  • December 6, 2008 10:35 a.m.

    I have never been one to want to use condoms. I have experienced first hand how easy it is to contract a STD. Now my partner and I have to use condoms on each other. I'm very sure that the STD was contracted before either of us were intimate with each other. It's just the point that two people that are exclusive still has to watch out for STDs with their significant other.

    - Rachel C

  • November 9, 2008 7:25 a.m.

    =there may be diff opines of intercourse in countries make sure. india it is enuf for tip of penis passing the big labia to be booked for rape.= the simplest principle in STD is for the germ to contact to invade the victim thru a entry receptor area like a mucosal surface, abraded skin, ulcer surface, anywhere in the body. even contaminated fluids spurting into eyes.Note that 35% alcohol spirit will kill all germs on direct contact for a few minutes.even HIV, H S V .

    - George, India

  • October 29, 2008 4:23 p.m.

    STDs are a growing problem in our society and diseases like Chlamydia, Herpes, and Hepatitis are all over the place. You can contract all of these from having sex with someone that is infected. The high risk sexual lifestyle that our society has become accustom to is the reason that these STD's are spreading so rapidly. Knowing what STD symptoms to look for will help you deal with these diseases properly. Mike

    - Mike

  • September 30, 2008 12:50 p.m.

    The reality is we are not taking these issues as serious as we should. Only when something like this happens do we fully understand that Yes, it can happen to us. Its funny we worry about our money, showing off to neighbors, making sure we have the right gear, but we are really not that careful about sex. Sad.

    - YOSHIRA CASTILLO

  • September 24, 2008 8:01 a.m.

    Although both my wife and I both love oral sex, she insists on my using a condom when performing this act. She did not like the taste or idea of ejaculate in her mouth, so I brought home a flavored condom. This has worked out well for us, even though neither of us have any sort of STD's.

    - Mike

  • September 23, 2008 3:59 p.m.

    This is a serious, important and potentially life-saving topic to educate people on. Honestly, though -- my first reaction to the question posed in the title was: "Depends! Are you a Democrat or a Republican?" ...which, again, only serves to reinforce the importance of knowing the answer to the question. ; )

    - - js

  • September 23, 2008 3:43 p.m.

    Isn't it true that it doesn't even have to be an exchange of fluids? - that skin-to-skin contact is enough? For example, HPV and herpes can reside in the skin around the genital area and can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact of those areas?

    - Concerned

  • September 22, 2008 11:55 p.m.

    The best protection against STD is abstaining. It takes true love to whisk away the physicality aspect of a relationship.

    - asdf

  • September 22, 2008 11:53 p.m.

    Well, let's say a penis has an STD. When a sexual partner performs oral sex, the virus will cling onto the mouth. The virus don't really distinguish between a vagina and a mouth. They're not gonna say "Oh guys it's just a mouth. Don't proceed."

    - Aragas

  • September 20, 2008 7:35 a.m.

    Why women could get STD by just doing oral sex?

    - Bernie

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