Q:

Doc,

I recently had unprotected sex with a girl for approximately 3-5 minutes. I did not ejaculate inside her. I know for a fact that she was tested within a month before this, and that I was the first to engage in any sexual acts with her since then. She was also with a long standing boyfriend before that so I am assuming that the "3 month window" argument is void.

In addition to this, the only other situation I have encountered was receiving oral sex once from someone who I did not know nor do I know their sexual history.

 Don't get it the wrong way I am not going to supplement going to the doctor for an answer to this BUT I am easily worried and would like the statistics behind this situation; I am truly not worried about the sexual encounter just the oral sex and how dangerous it is being the recipient known that no cuts or abrasions on my penis were visible before and or after the situation, and to my knowledge there were none on the recipients mouth.

I have also been tested before and am positive I am clean before these situations came to be.

 

A:

This is a difficult risk assessment from the information you have provided.  The recent unprotected sexual activity is risky for the following reasons:

During intercourse, you still have potential viable sperm in the “pre-cum” prior to ejaculation so there is risk of pregnancy in this scenario.  No STI test is ever 100% accurate so a partner “testing clean” is never a 100% guarantee, especially if the testing was done a month prior.   You can never be 100% certain that your sexual partner is giving you all  his/her sexual history information nor can you be 100% certain that their prior sexual partners were faithful or giving full disclosure of their sexual history.  In other words, unprotected sex is risky when your partner has had other partners, no matter how long ago.  Protected sex is risky as well (though less risky for HIV, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B and C), especially for transmission of human papilloma virus (genital warts) and herpes virus as the condom does not cover all the vulnerable skin that can be exposed and infected.

The oral sex primarily puts you at risk for herpes virus exposure if your partner happens to be contagious with oral herpes type 1 at the time of performing oral sex on you.

As you may be aware there is no way to easily test for HPV other than pap smear, so testing for male HPV exposure and contagiousness is not possible unless you have actual visible lesions.  You can be tested for herpes type 1 and type 2 exposure/immunity.

The peer sexual health advisors can review your risks with you and the testing that is available,  the sensitivity of the tests, the cost and what it can and can’t guarantee you and your partner.

There are no absolute answers that can be given so the worry factor will always be there if you are choosing unprotected sexual activity with partners whose history is uncertain.

~The Doc