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1. Understand testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection

   HPV infections are very common and your immune system spontaneously clears most infections. Therefore, even if you have HPV, your risk of developing cervical cancer is extremely low. It's important, however, to have regular Pap test screenings according to guidelines established by the American Cancer Society.

   Think of screening for HPV in much the same way you'd screen for cholesterol or other health risk factors: you want to determine what your risks are for having or developing the disease. For women with minor abnormalities on their Pap test, doctors use HPV testing to determine if they have an HPV infection and need further workup; while those who are not infected with HPV need only an annual Pap test.

   The FDA recently expanded the use of the HPV test. Today, women 30 and older can be screened for HPV infection in conjunction with their Pap test. The advantage of this approach is that those women who are negative on both tests have a very low risk for HPV infection or cervical cancer, and probably don't need to be screened again for at least three years. Ask your doctor about using the ThinPrep Pap Test, which is also FDA-approved for HPV testing.

2. Take precautions for oral sex

   Although unprotected oral sex is presumably safer than unprotected anal sex or vaginal intercourse, it is no guarantee of protection against sexually transmitted infections. Most sexually transmitted infections can be spread via oral sex. To protect yourself, make sure your partner uses a condom if you're performing oral sex; if he's performing oral sex on you, or if you're having oral sex with a woman, use a dental dam, a flat piece of latex used during dental procedures, available in some medical supply stores.

   They provide a barrier between the mouth and the vagina or anus during oral sex. Household plastic wrap or a split and flattened, unlubricated condom can also be used. Also, don't brush or floss your teeth right before having oral sex. Either may tear the lining of your mouth, increasing your exposure to viruses.

3. Practice the best protection

   The best protection against any type of sexually transmitted infection besides abstinence is a latex condom. However, it doesn't provide 100 percent protection against sexually transmitted infections.

   If you use a condom, make sure you use it properly. Human error causes more condom failures than manufacturing errors. Use a new condom with each sexual act (including oral sex). Carefully handle it so you don't damage it with you fingernails, teeth or other sharp objects. Put the condom on after the penis is erect and before any genital contact. Use only water-based lubricants with latex condoms. Ensure adequate lubrication during intercourse. Hold the condom firmly against the base of the penis during withdrawal, and withdraw while the penis is still erect to prevent slippage.

4. Get tested for STIs

   No one test screens for all sexually transmitted infections. Some require a vaginal exam and Pap test; others a blood or urine test. And just because you have a negative test doesn't mean you don't have the disease. Chlamydia, for instance, may travel far up into your reproductive tract, so your doctor is unable to obtain a culture. Or your body may not have developed enough antibodies to a virus like HIV or HPV to turn up in a blood test.

   Still, it's important to ask your health care provider to regularly test you for sexually transmitted infection if you're sexually active in a relationship in which you or your partner are also sexually active with others.

   You can get tested at your health department, community clinic, private doctor or Planned Parenthood. Or call the CDC's National STI and AIDS hotlines at 1-800-227-8922 or 1-800-342-2437 for free or low cost clinics in your area.

5. Know whether you have an STI

   While some sexually transmitted infections may have symptoms such as sores/ulcers or discharge, most, unfortunately, have no symptoms. You can't always tell if you or a partner has an infection just by looking. So don't rely on a partner's self-reporting and assume that will prevent you from acquiring a sexually transmitted infection; many infected persons do not know they have a problem.

   Even if they have symptoms, they may think the symptoms are caused by something else, such as yeast infections, friction from sexual relations, or allergies. So educate yourself about your own body and, in turn, learn about your own individual risk for contracting an STI. One way to do this is to schedule an examination with a nurse practitioner or other health care professional who can sit down with you and help you learn the principles for staying safe and sexually healthy. Don't allow fear, embarrassment or ignorance to jeopardize your future.