STIs & Testing
What are the symptoms of chlamydia?
Most people with chlamydia have no symptoms. Signs can include unusual discharge, burning when peeing, unexpected bleeding, lower tummy pain or testicular pain.
11 min readRead
Contraception
How long does the pill take to work?
The NHS says the pill may protect you straight away, or you may need extra contraception for 2, 7 or 9 days, depending on the type and start date.
10 min readRead
Contraception
How soon can you take a pregnancy test?
Most pregnancy tests are reliable from the first day of a missed period, or at least 21 days after unprotected sex if you do not know when your period is due.
9 min readRead
Contraception
Can you get pregnant on your period?
Yes, pregnancy from sex during or just after a period is possible, though less likely, because sperm can survive for days and ovulation timing varies.
9 min readRead
11 articles • reference-based
Sexual health blog: questions answered properly.
The questions people actually type into a search box at midnight — about condoms, contraception, infections, desire and what counts as normal. Same sourcing and same standards as the rest of the site, in a shorter form.
Latest articles
STIs & Testing
How do you know if you have HPV?
Most people who have HPV never know, because it usually causes no symptoms. Here is what NHS guidance says about testing, genital warts, the vaccine and cervical screening.
8 min readRead
Contraception
How many hours after sex can you use emergency contraception?
Emergency contraception can be used up to 72 or 120 hours after unprotected sex, depending on the method. NHS options include pills and an IUD.
8 min readRead
STIs & Testing
How long should you wait after STI treatment before sex again?
There is no single wait time after STI treatment. NHS advice focuses on finishing treatment, follow-up testing and making sure partners are tested too.
7 min readRead
STIs & Testing
Who Can Get doxyPEP in England?
doxyPEP is offered through specialist sexual health services to some people at increased risk of syphilis in England. Who is eligible, and what it can and cannot prevent.
8 min readRead
STIs & Testing
Which MenB Vaccine Programme Applies to Students?
Student MenB and gonorrhoea vaccination are separate programmes with different eligibility. This guide explains who may be offered what and when to seek help.
8 min readRead
STIs & Testing
Is gonorrhoea becoming harder to treat?
Yes, some gonorrhoea infections are becoming harder to treat because the bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics. However, resistant gonorrhoea remains uncommon in England, and testing, appropriate treatment and follow-up remain effective ways to protect your health and your partners.
6 min readRead
STIs & Testing
Can you do a cervical screening test at home?
Yes. Some eligible people in England who have missed cervical screening can now be offered an NHS HPV self-sampling kit to use at home. It checks for high-risk HPV; if that is found, you still need clinician follow-up.
6 min readRead
Safer Sex
NICE Draft Decision on Twice-Yearly HIV PrEP Explained
NICE has issued draft guidance not recommending routine NHS funding for lenacapavir, the twice-yearly injectable HIV PrEP branded Yeytuo. The draft is not final and is open to consultation, with a NICE review due on 3 November 2026.
7 min readRead
Relationships & Intimacy
What Is a Sex-Positive Relationship?
What is a sex-positive relationship? It means treating sex as a normal part of life to be discussed openly and consensually — not a relationship style, a requirement to want more sex, or an obligation to say yes.
7 min readRead
Safer Sex
Do Condoms Expire? Shelf Life, Storage and How to Check
Do condoms expire? Yes — every condom carries an expiry date, and latex degrades with age, heat and friction. How long condoms last, where the date is printed, and how to tell if one is no longer safe to use.
6 min readRead
Sexual Concerns
Can You Have Sex With a UTI?
Can you have sex with a UTI? It is not dangerous to a partner — a UTI is not a sexually transmitted infection — but sex usually worsens symptoms and can prolong recovery. When to wait, and when the symptoms are not a UTI at all.
6 min readRead
Sexual Concerns
Can You Have Sex With a Yeast Infection?
Can you have sex with a yeast infection? It is possible but usually uncomfortable, thrush can be passed to a partner, and antifungal creams weaken latex condoms. Why waiting until treatment finishes is the safer call.
6 min readRead
Relationships & Intimacy
How Often Do Married Couples Have Sex?
How often do married couples have sex? Research puts the average at around once a week, declining with age and relationship length — but averages are a poor target, and the gap between partners matters far more than the number.
6 min readRead
Contraception
Can Birth Control Make You Infertile?
Can birth control make you infertile? No — hormonal contraception does not cause infertility, and fertility returns after stopping. The one method with a genuine delay is the injection, and age is the factor people mistake for it.
6 min readRead
Contraception
Does Birth Control Make You Gain Weight?
Does birth control make you gain weight? For the combined pill, implant and hormonal coil the evidence does not support meaningful weight gain. The contraceptive injection is the exception — and fluid retention is not fat.
6 min readRead
Sexual Concerns
Why Did I Bleed After Sex?
Why did I bleed after sex? Postcoital bleeding usually has a benign cause such as dryness, a cervical ectropion or infection — but it is also a symptom that should always be checked, because cervical changes can cause it.
6 min readRead
STIs & Testing
Can You Get an STI Without Having Sex?
Can you get an STI without having sex? Yes — skin-to-skin contact, oral sex and shared sex toys all transmit some infections. But not from toilet seats, and not from masturbating alone.
6 min readRead
STIs & Testing
How Long Does an STI Take to Show Up?
How long does an STI take to show up? Symptoms and test detection are two different clocks. Typical window periods for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV, syphilis and herpes, and why a negative test too early proves nothing.
6 min readRead
Advertisement
Looking for the full guides?
These articles answer one question each. The ten topic hubs hold the longer, structured guides — anatomy, consent, safer sex, STIs, contraception, wellness, relationships, concerns, LGBT health and life stages.