13 Sex Myths Busted

3. Condoms protect against all STDs. If used correctly, condoms offer total protection against some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia, but they can't fully prevent syphilis, genital herpes or warts.Dr. Patrick French, consultant at Mortimer Market Center GUM (genito-urinary medicine) clinic in London explains, "These infections are passed on through skin-to-skin contact and may affect areas not covered by a condom. A person may also be infected even if there are no obvious rashes or sores. However, condoms will still reduce transmission risk by around 50 percent."If you're starting a new relationship, the safest option is for you both to get a full STD checkup. 4. Not all women have a G-spot. Every woman has a G-spot -- however, it's far from a magic, multiple-orgasm button waiting to be pressed. While stimulation does the trick for some women, it just makes others feel like they need to go to the bathroom."The real myth is that we've hyped up the G-spot orgasm to be the ultimate experience, and when we don't have it, we feel let down," says Denise Knowles. "The key is to relax and explore what makes you orgasm, rather than pressurizing your partner."5. If he pulls out, I won't get pregnant. This myth leads to thousands of unwanted pregnancies every year. "Sperm are present in the seminal fluid, which is released before the man ejaculates, so even if he withdraws his penis before orgasm, his partner could still [get pregnant]," says Dr. Dawn Harper.

6. You can't get STDs from oral sex. Wrong -- although it's less common. STDs that can be passed on through oral sex include herpes, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and nonspecific urethritis (NSU), an inflammation of the urethra (the tube where urine comes out) that only affects men.And it's possible to catch HIV through oral sex if you have cuts or sores in your mouth, though there are few proven instances of this."If you're worried, you can use flavored condoms for women," advises Dr. French. 7. Women no longer have sex after menopause. Far from going off it, many post-menopausal women are having their best sex ever."They often feel liberated to enjoy sex without the fear of pregnancy or the stress of bringing up children," says Denise. Also today's generation of 50-plus women are healthier than their predecessors, and the advent of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) means many women aren't plagued with the low sex drive and vaginal dryness often associated with the change in hormones around this time.8. You can't get pregnant when you have your period.Women ovulate 14 days before a period -- not 14 days after the lastone. "So it's feasible that if your next period is going to come early,you may be preparing another egg towards the end of your currentperiod," explains Dr. Dawn Harper. "Some women also experiencemid-cycle bleeding, so you could mistake it for a period, but it wouldbe just the time that you're fertile."

9. The risk for getting HIV is declining. This is a dangerousassumption to make. HIV is one of the fastest-growing serious healthconditions. Aat the end of 2004, 415,193 people were living with AIDSin the United States and many cases are from heterosexual sex.Fortunately, drug treatment has increased the life expectancyof sufferers, but there's still no cure, and the virus can becomedrug-resistant. HIV damages the immune system, leaving it vulnerable toattack from serious infection.10. A same-sex fantasy must mean I'm gay. Same-sex fantasies aretotally normal and have no bearing on whether you're gay, bisexual orstraight. "This sort of fantasy is about curiosity," says Denise. "Justbecause you fantasize about something doesn't necessarily mean you'denjoy the reality, but the wonderful thing is that fantasy is only inyour head."11. Sex is bad for people with heart disease. Stories of peoplehaving heart attacks during sex hit the headlines now and again, so isit dangerous for anyone with heart disease?Dr. Dawn Harper explains, "People with heart disease should beable to lead a completely normal sex life. Even people who've had aheart attack can normally resume their sex lives within two or threeweeks unless there are complications. However, if you suffer from chestpain during sex, you should stop immediately and see your doctor."

On the whole, Dr. Harper says sex does more good than harm. "Itboosts your immune system and is good for stress levels and energy,"she says.12. It's bad sex if I don't have an orgasm. Experts agree thatgood sex doesn't have to end in orgasm for either or both partnersevery time. The important bit is whether you've both enjoyed it. And,believe it or not, it's possible you may actually miss it."An orgasm may consist of anything from one to 15 muscularcontractions over an eight-second period. If you only have twocontractions, you may well not notice it," explains Denise Knowles.However, according to the Sexual Dysfunction Association, 12percent of women never have an orgasm. And both women and men may losethe ability to orgasm, due to medical reasons such as diabetes or heartdisease, or emotional reasons such as anxiety.13. Sex during pregnancy might hurt the baby. The majority ofpregnant women can carry on having a healthy sex life throughout theirpregnancy. However, according to Dr. Dawn Harper, there are twoexceptions. "If you have placenta previa, where the placenta is lyingright over the cervix, sex could cause bleeding and a premature labor.Also, it's best to avoid sex if you've had bleeding or contractionsafter intercourse as this could bring on early labor," she explains.Source: Daily Mirror (London). Powered by Yellowbrix.---------Do you know a sex myth when you see one? Take the quiz and find out. Get advice for treating sexual problems. Perk up your sex life with the Sexual Health Insider.