[Question #8269] Condom Slipped - Worried about STDS

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46 months ago
Hello! I’m a female and had sex with my male boyfriend last night. It was protected but as he withdrew the condom slipped—it didn’t get stuck inside me and he was able to pull it out with the semen still inside of it. He said that no semen went in me— but I’m super paranoid.

What are my chances for STDS/HSV2? I literally just got tested last week and everything came back ok— should I get tested again?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
46 months ago
Welcome to the Forum and thanks for your questions. Thanks as well for your commitment to safe, condom protected sex.  When a man's penis slips out of a condom as he is withdrawing from a partner, the risk for infection is close to zero and there is typically no exposure to his ejaculate or his uncovered penis.  your risk for infection is virtually zero and I would be concerned.  Testing of course is a personal decision but if you choose to test for your own peace of mind, I anticipate that the tests will show that you were not infected.

Regarding HSV-2, IF he has HSV-2, condoms reduce the risk of acquiring an infection dramatically but not perfectly.  Even in the situation you describe, your risk for getting HSV-2 in tiny and not something to worry about.  I would NOT encourage you to seek blood tests for HSV-2- they are unreliable in these situations, giving false positive results and not becoming positive in some persons until more than six months after exposure.  If no symptoms, I would not worry further about HSV.  EWH  
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46 months ago
Thank you! In terms of protected sex, how effective is it for std prevention over numerous encounters. Also, my now ex-boyfriend and I had  unprotected oral sex numerous times.

What are my risk of STDs from that? 

I got tested about 3 months into our relationship (1 month ago) and everything was good. When should I get tested again?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
46 months ago
Condoms, while not perfect, remain the most reliable short term prevention for acquisition of all STI’s including HIV as long as they are worn throughout the encounter and do not break (something that happens about 1% of the time).  

Performing oral sex on an infected partner rarely leads to STI’s. Gonorrhea can occasionally be acquired this way and chlamydia is acquired very rarely. The risk of acquiring HSV-2 or HIV from performing oral sex And infected partner is very, very low occurring no more than once in every 10,000 encounters with an infected partner.

Regarding your own testing. Anytime 5 to 7 days following your last sexual encounter with your ex-boyfriend, your test for the most common STI’s-gonorrhea chlamydia and trichomonas will be reliable.  Your risk for other STI’s such as Syphilis and HIV are so very low in the situation you described that I would not worry further about them. Likewise, we recommend strongly against blood tests for herpes. These tests are too unreliable with the frequent falsely positive results and missing a substantial number of true infections.
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