ANSWERS TO COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We pride ourselves in being able to answer honestly any questions you may have about sex and sexuality.  The better informed you are, the better choices you can make for your continued health and happiness.  Below are some common questions we often are asked in the Wise Guys program.

You may still have a question that has not been answered yet.  Parents can be a reliable source of information for these questions.  If you are not comfortable asking your parents, feel free to e-mail us any questions.

• How does a woman have twins?

There are two ways that twins can be produced.  The first way is that the woman’s body releases two eggs, and each egg is fertilized by an individual sperm cell.  That’s one way.  The second way is that the woman’s body only releases one egg, and that egg is fertilized by one sperm cell.  Then the fertilized egg just so happens to divide into two eggs on its own.  This is also how a woman has triplets, quadruplets, etc.

• Can a woman stop a pregnancy from happening by urinating immediately after having sex?

No.  Urine does kill sperm cells, however, a woman does not urinate directly out of her vagina.  She urinates from a small hole found above the opening to her vagina.  If she were to have sex with a male, he would ejaculate into her vagina.  She could run to the bathroom after having sex and urinate all she wanted, but the urine would never come into contact with his sperm cells since she’s urinating out of a different hole.  Because of this, there is a good chance that she will get pregnant.  Urination after sex is not a form of contraception.

• Can a guy be extra safe during sex by wearing two condoms on his penis (double-bagging)?

No.  It may sound like a great idea, but it isn’t.  Most condoms are made out of a type of latex.  If he wears two condoms at the same time, one over another one, he puts himself and his partner at very great risk.  A lot of friction will occur between the two condoms during sex, meaning that the condoms will rub against each other so much that they both may tear.  If they tear, his sperm cells will wind up in her vagina, and she may get pregnant.  There is a good chance that someone could get an STI too, if either he or she is already infected.

• What is a vasectomy?

A vasectomy is a minor, surgical procedure performed on a man who does not want to have children.  The procedure usually takes less than 30 minutes.  First, the scrotum is shaved and cleaned.  A doctor then numbs the scrotum with a local anesthetic.  Next, a very small opening is made on the scrotum, in order to get to the vas deferens.  The two tubes of the vas deferens are cut and sealed shut, so that no sperm cells may pass through them when the man ejaculates.  The sperm have nowhere to go and eventually die and are broken down by the body.  The man, therefore, cannot get his partner pregnant.  Vasectomies are not 100% effective; however, less than 1% of men with vasectomies have still been able to impregnate their partners.  A vasectomy is not 100% reversible, so a man needs to be sure that a vasectomy is right for him.

• How do I know for sure if I’m clean and don’t have an STI?

There's only one way to know for sure.  Get tested.  Many people with a STI never see any symptoms, and so they think they must be safe.  However, the STI is still hidden in their bodies and is slowly damaging the internal organs.  The infected person may not be aware for years of an STI, and during that time may infect others.  That is why we have such an epidemic today of STI’s like Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and AIDS.   So, if you have any doubts, get tested.

• How do I get tested for an STI?

Make an appointment with your local health department or a doctor’s office that is equipped to test for STI’s.  Ask the person on the phone if there is anything you need to bring with you in order to get tested.  It usually helps to bring your social security card and a picture ID, such as a driver’s license, to prove your identity.

Be on time for your appointment.  Make sure you showered or bathed before hand, because a nurse will swab the inside of your penis for any germs that may indicate gonorrhea and chlamydia, as well as check your testicles for testicular cancer.  A blood test will also be done to check for HIV/AIDS and syphilis.   Relax.  It sounds worse than it really is, and it’s for your protection.  They are only trying to make sure that your body is healthy and that everything is okay.

The entire process should take less than an hour, allowing for you to ask any questions that you may have.  You should get your test results in about 2 weeks depending on what type of sexual behaviors you have been conducting.  If you have had multiple partners, they may have to wait for 6 months to see if you have HIV.  It depends on your sexual history.

It is normal to be afraid of what the test results will say.  Just remember that you are doing an amazing thing by going to someone to get checked for STI’s.  A lot of guys don’t do it, even though they should, and they pay later when they finally realize that something is wrong.  By then, it could be too late for doctors to treat, let alone cure the STI, depending on what the guy has caught.  So, be proud of the fact that you are considering getting checked out for STI’s.  For your sake, as well as for the sake of your partner’s well - being, you should get tested if you have been sexually active.

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