The Link Between Changing Sexual Partners and Health Risks

In relation to sexual health, frequent sexual partners can increase the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases that have the potential to cause cancer.

Health Risks Frequently Changing Sexual Partners

In this case, maintaining a stable and safe sexual relationship with a trusted partner can help reduce the risk of developing infectious diseases and minimize the possibility of developing types of cancer related to sexual activity.

Frequently changing sexual partners can pose a risk to health. Especially if you engage in sexual activity without using a condom,– with people whose health status you don't know.

If one of your sexual partners has an infectious disease, you can catch it. Then at another time, when you have sex with other people, you can also transmit the disease to that person. Having a sexually transmitted disease also increases the risk of some types of cancer.

The Risk of Changing Sexual Partners

The danger that lurk if you frequently change sexual partners is an increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Such as HIV/AIDS and human papilloma virus (HPV) infection.

This can then lead to many health risks, including later in life. According to a study published in the journal BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health in 2020, researchers evaluated data from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging, which tracks individuals aged 50 and over living in the UK.

Subjects included 2,537 men and 3,185 women, with a median age of 64 and nearly three in four were married. They answered questions about how many sexual partners they had. Categories are divided into zero to one, two to four, five to nine, and 10 or more.

The researchers found that when people have multiple sexual partners, the percentage of people who develop cancer increases. Women who reported having 10 or more partners were 91 percent more at risk of developing cancer than women who had no or only one partner.

Meanwhile, men who claimed to have had at least 10 sexual partners were 69 percent more likely to get cancer than men who had zero to one.

The risk of cancer due to frequent multiple partners occurs due to HPV infection. This sexually transmitted virus can increase the risk of almost all cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus, and penis.

Tips for Safe Intimate Relationships

Since having multiple partners can increase the risk of many diseases, it is important to limit sexual activity to only one partner. That way, you can reduce your exposure to disease-causing organisms.

Apart from that, some other tips for having sex safely are:

  • Think twice before starting an intimate relationship with a new partner, or changing partners.
  • Ask your partner about their history of sexually transmitted diseases and drug use.
  • Use a condom every time you have sex.
  • For oral sex, help protect your mouth by asking your partner to use a condom (male or female).
  • Avoid drinking alcohol or using drugs. Because this increases your chances of participating in high-risk sex, or having multiple sex partners.
  • For women, avoid douche after intercourse. This can spread the infection further into the reproductive tract, and can wear off the spermicidal protection.
  • Have regular pap smears, pelvic exams, and regular tests for sexually transmitted diseases.
  • Observe your partner's body for signs of sores, blisters, rashes, or unusual discharge.
  • Check your body often to check for signs of sores, blisters, rashes, or discharge.
  • Consider sexual activity other than vaginal, oral, or anal sex.

That's a discussion about the risks of frequently changing sexual partners for health, and tips on having a safe relationship. If you experience any complaints after having sex, consult a doctor immediately. If the doctor prescribes medicine, just download Halodoc to easily check your medical needs.

Reference:

  1. BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health. Retrieved 2023. The Relationship Between Chronic Diseases And Number Of Sexual Partners: An Exploratory Analysis.
  2. Health. Retrieved 2023. Sleeping With More People Could Increase Your Cancer Risk.
  3. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Accessed 2023. Safer Sex Guidelines.
  4. MedicalNewsToday. Retrieved 2023. What To Know About Having Multiple Sexual Partners.

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