STIs - the myths & the facts

STIs affect people of all ages, backgrounds and from all walks of life.


Learning about STIs can feel overwhelming. We're here to give you the facts you need to take care of your sexual health.

Remember: most STIs are curable, and all STIs are manageable with good treatment and care.

    Key facts

    • STIs are passed from one person to another during sexual contact.
    • Many people with an STI have no signs or symptoms so are unaware they are infectious.
    • STIs can infect many areas of the body—the genital and anal area, mouth and throat.
    • STIs are caused by microscopic (invisible) organisms such as bacteria, viruses or parasites.
    • More than half of us will contract an STI at some point in our lives. 
    • Young people up to the age of 25 have the highest rates of STIs in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    

    Common STIs in Aotearoa

    How they're spread

    • STIs can be spread through any type of sex between people of any gender.
    • Some STIs can be spread through any contact between the penis, vagina, mouth or anus—even if there is no penetration. For example, genital herpes is transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact, and can be transmitted even if there is no penetration.
    • Some STIs can be spread in other ways also. For example, HIV and Hepatitis B can be spread through sharing needles for injecting drugs or medicines.

    There are a lot of myths about STIs. Click on each of the myths below to learn the facts.

    • I am unlikely to get a sexually transmitted infection.

      STIs are very common, many have only mild, few or no symptoms. Most of us will acquire at least one STI in our life. One in two sexually active young people will get an STI by the age of 25. Most will not know it.

    • It is shameful to get an STI.

      Sexually transmitted infections are so common that anyone who has ever had sex may get an STI. It’s a normal part of being sexually active. You can reduce your chances of getting an STI by using condoms with all new partners and having regular sexual health checks.

    • I will know if I have an STI.

      You may have no symptoms at all and have an STI without knowing it. The signs and symptoms of some STIs are very mild and may appear weeks or months after being infected. Even if you have used protection in the past, no method of protected sex is 100% safe. To prevent the spread of STIs and reduce the risk of catching an STI, use condoms and have regular STI checks.

    • All STIs are curable.

      Not all STIs are curable. STIs that are caused by bacterial infections (such as chlamydia), once diagnosed, can generally be easily treated and cured. However, viral infections such as HSV (Herpes Simplex Virus) and HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) can only be managed, not cured.

    • Oral sex is 'safe sex' as you can’t contract or pass on an STI this way.

      Many STIs can be passed on by oral sex. For example, Herpes (HSV), which causes cold sores, is commonly transmitted to the genitals. Genital HPV is increasingly associated with oral HPV through oral sex transmission. Syphilis , chlamydia and gonorrhoea can also be transmitted through oral sex.

    • You can get an STI from toilet seats.

      STIs are not transmitted from toilet seats. They are spread through direct (skin-to-skin) sexual contact, or by coming into contact with infected body fluids during vaginal, anal or oral sex.

    • Syphilis and gonorrhoea are STIs of the past. Modern medicine has cured them.

      Rates of gonorrhoea (particularly in young people aged between 15 and 25) and syphilis (particularly with males who have sex with males) are increasing. If you have had unprotected sex, get tested. Gonorrhoea is increasingly hard to treat as it is resistant to some antibiotics.

    • I had unprotected sex. I feel fine, so I must be fine.

      Symptoms of many STIs may take days, weeks or even longer to present, and many may never cause symptoms, e.g., chlamydia. Testing for STIs after having unprotected sex is important.

    • An STI check includes tests for all STIs.

      Before you have an STI test, your healthcare provider will ask you some questions. These might include your sexual history and whether you have any symptoms. The purpose of these questions is to help the healthcare professional work out which STI tests you need to do - often, you won't need to get tested for all STIs. 

    • A cervical smear includes tests for STIs.

      It is a common misconception that the cervical smear includes tests for STIs - it doesn’t! A smear tests for abnormal cells on your cervix that cause cancer of the cervix. The cervical screening programme has moved away from smears unless indicated and in most instances you may only require a swab that checks for the presence of HPV. Ask your clinician/smear taker if you would like to be tested for other STIs as well. 

    • I will never get, or pass on, an STI because I always use condoms.

      Condoms greatly reduce STI transmission, but they don’t completely eliminate the risk of getting or transmitting an STI. Condoms don’t always cover the area that may be infected with certain STIs. Proper and consistent use of condoms greatly lowers the chances of spreading STIs. Reducing the numbers of sexual partners and having regular STI checks also helps prevent spreading STIs.

    • I can only get one STI at a time.

      It is not uncommon to have more than one STI at a time. Infection with most STIs increases the risk of getting co-infection with HIV. HIV-positive people with other STIs can transmit HIV more easily to partners.

    • I have had chlamydia twice so I must be infertile.

      Risk of infertility increases with repeated infections of chlamydia or gonorrhoea but does not mean guaranteed infertility. Regular testing and early effective treatment will reduce the chances of infertility.

    • I am on the pill so I am protected.

      The pill (oral contraceptive pill) only protects against pregnancy—not STIs.

    • If I ask my partner to use a condom they will think I don’t trust them.

      Using a condom is protecting both you and your partner. Sometimes refusal to use a condom is a form of control and is not good in a healthy relationship. If you need support with your relationship, read our section on unhealthy or unhappy relationships. Before deciding not to use condoms, you and your partner should both have sexual health checks.

    • I gave a urine sample to the nurse and it came back negative for chlamydia so I must be okay.

      It’s possible to have another, different STI, so you need a full sexual health check to be sure you don't have an STI. Keeping in mind that you may not be able to test for HSV (Herpes Simplex Virus) unless you are symptomatic. 

    • I shared my partner’s STI antibiotic pills, therefore I don’t need to go for a check up.

      Different STIs need different types of treatments. A prescription of antibiotics needs to be taken in full by the person they were prescribed for, or the infection may not be cured and you risk re-infecting your sexual partners and the infection potentially developing resistance to the antibiotics. It is a risk sharing pills that are not prescribed specifically for you by a health professional.