Safe sex Archives | Marie Stopes South Africa

Busting birth control myths

June 18, 2019 by Marie Stopes South Africa

Birth control myths are one of the main causes of unintended pregnancies. It’s time to separate fact from fiction and bust these fairytales.… Read More

Common Condom Mistakes

May 23, 2019 by Marie Stopes South Africa

You’ve read the plethora of information about practicing safe sex by using barrier-method contraceptives and have bought a pack of condoms – great! But do you know how to use them? Approximately 75% of people don’t! Which means there are a lot of unintended pregnancies that could have been prevented.

So, listen up to ensure you don’t make the following five condom mistakes.

New partner? 4 sex topics you need to discuss

May 21, 2019 by Marie Stopes South Africa

Do you have a new partner? It’s time to start off on a clean slate. Before you have sex for the first time, there are certain topics that should be covered; HIV and STI testing as well as contraceptive methods are essential questions to ask. You may not realise it straight away, but this conversation is strengthening your relationship.

Here are four topics that you need to discuss before you have sex.

HIV testing: What you need to know

April 23, 2019 by Marie Stopes South Africa

At Marie Stopes, we understand that many people avoid getting an HIV test because they are afraid of the result. There’s no need to be afraid; get tested and know your status. HIV is preventable, and you can reduce your risk by knowing your status. Early detection means early treatment and better outcomes. In this article, we explain the different methods of HIV testing.

What you need to know about the morning-after pill

April 16, 2019 by Marie Stopes South Africa

The reality is that accidents happen. If you have unprotected sex, forget to take birth control pills or a condom breaks during sex, emergency contraception is available to you through Marie Stopes South Africa to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. This type of emergency contraception is known as the morning-after pill. Learn more about the availability of the morning-after pill in South Africa.

HIV, AIDS and STIs…explained

March 26, 2019 by Marie Stopes South Africa

‘I’m HIV+, I have AIDS.’

‘All contraception prevents STIs.’

There is unfortunately a lot of false information regarding HIV, AIDS and STIs, which can lead to unnecessary infection. Marie Stopes South Africa is dedicated to ensuring you have access – and resources – to safeguard your sexual and reproductive health.

The different types of female contraceptives

March 5, 2019 by Marie Stopes South Africa

Marie Stopes South Africa is driven to provide knowledge to the public about sexual and reproductive health. We’ve compiled a quick-study guide about the different types of female contraception.

The different types of female contraceptives

9 tips for a healthy sex life

February 14, 2019 by Marie Stopes South Africa

Experiencing problems in the bedroom? There are physical and psychological factors that can contribute to a low sex-drive such as medical conditions, low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. Marie Stopes South Africa’s Women’s Wellness services are here to help you.

Home pregnancy tests – what you need to know

February 11, 2019 by Marie Stopes South Africa

Have you missed your period and think you may be pregnant? A home pregnancy test will help determine whether you’re pregnant or not. According to Cleveland Clinic, ‘most tests are 99 percent effective if taken after a missed period.’

If you’ve never used a home pregnancy test before and have no idea what to do, don’t worry. We’ll explain the steps in this article.

Am I ovulating? Understanding your menstrual cycle

January 28, 2019 by Marie Stopes South Africa

While safe abortions are legal in South Africa, understanding your menstrual cycle will help you determine when you’re ovulating. In this article, we outline everything that you need to know about menstruation.

Explore your body: How safe are sex toys?

January 16, 2019 by Marie Stopes South Africa

You don’t need to be embarrassed about using sex toys. Much like the topic of safe abortion, there is a certain, unwarranted stigma attached to sex toys. There is nothing wrong with enhancing your sexual pleasure.

5 sex positions to make you go ‘Ho, Ho, Ho’ this Christmas

December 20, 2018 by Marie Stopes South Africa

The holiday season is finally here. For the majority of us, the office is closed and work-life goes on the back-burner. This is the perfect time for you and your partner to take some time and re-ignite your sex life by trying these intimate sex positions.

Addiction and pregnancy: Is your baby at risk?

December 5, 2018 by Marie Stopes South Africa

The life-threatening risks of abusing any type of drugs e.g. heroin, painkillers such as oxycodone, cocaine, methamphetamines (crystal meth, ecstasy) and marijuana are well documented. However, if you abuse these drugs while pregnant, you’re risking your baby’s health too.

MSSA – World AIDS Day 2018 – ‘Know your Status’

December 1, 2018 by Marie Stopes South Africa

World AIDS Day takes place on 1 December 2018 – a day when people from around the world unite in order to support, fight, educate and spread awareness about HIV/AIDS.

This year, the theme is ‘Know my Status’, aimed at encouraging everyone to get tested for HIV/AIDS and depending on the outcome, have the knowledge to take the appropriate action. It’s vital to understand that with the right treatment, anyone with HIV can live a long and happy life.

What age is ‘too late’ to have a baby?

November 29, 2018 by Marie Stopes South Africa

Every woman’s fertility timeline is different, but the short answer, according to experts, is that the ability for a woman to become pregnant decreases quite dramatically after the age of 35 – but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to have a baby.

Do antibiotics really affect the efficacy of the pill? Here’s what you need to know

January 16, 2018 by Marie Stopes South Africa

Is it true that antibiotics can affect the efficacy of the pill? Common antibiotics like penicillin and amoxicillin are prescribed regularly for a wide range of ailments, and if you’re on the pill, you’ve probably been advised by your doctor to use back-up protection while taking antibiotics. You’ll probably also notice that the information leaflet that comes with your medication offers the same advice. … Read More

Holiday sex tips to keep you safe & satisfied this festive season

December 26, 2017 by Marie Stopes South Africa

Holiday nookie, summer flings… these are some of the best things about the festive season. As the partying hots up, so do our hormones, which might be why sexual health issues tend to increase at this time of year.… Read More

The dangers of HIV stigma

December 16, 2017 by Marie Stopes South Africa

We may be well into the 21st century, but widespread stigma still exists around HIV/Aids – and, according to Huffington Post, may be even more dangerous than the disease itself. … Read More

Female condom: 5 reasons we love using them

August 9, 2017 by Marie Stopes South Africa

When it comes to sex, there’s no such thing as too much protection. If you want to be doubly sure you’re protected against STIs and unplanned pregnancy, consider the female condom. Used in conjunction with your regular birth control method, you’ll be twice as safe – which means double the fun!… Read More

Condom conversations: 6 easy ways to discuss safe sex with a partner

July 9, 2017 by Marie Stopes South Africa

If you’re not in a monogamous relationship with a partner, you should be using condoms every time you have sex.

Condoms aren’t only there to protect against unplanned pregnancy, and HIV isn’t the only sexually transmitted infection (STI) you could contract. In fact, incidences of chlamydia and syphilis are on the rise among sexually active adults, and HIV/Aids is still one of the top causes of death among South African adults across the age spectrum.… Read More

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Quick Facts

Effectiveness

No method works 100% of the time. Think about how important it is for you to prevent pregnancy. Keep reading…

Most Effective

Sterilisation: If you know for sure that you don't want any more children this can be good. Implants: Last for 3 years. Just remember to replace after 3 years! IUD: Many people like it cause once it's in, it works for 5 years. You can ask for one without hormones if you want. (But remember condoms to protect against infection!)

Some Methods 1

For injectables to work, a woman must get a repeat injection ON TIME. Pills must be taken about the same time every day.

Some Methods 2

Male condoms and sterilisation depend on the man. He also has to cooperate to use the female condom. Nice thing about condoms: they protect against pregnancy AND infection. Safe!

Seriously Not Safe

Some people think that it's OK for the man to pull out of the vagina before he comes. NO! There can be sperm in the fluid that comes out before he comes – leading to pregnancy or infection.

Get Help

If you think you may be pregnant, DO A PREGNANCY TEST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE – you can get these tests from the pharmacy or your clinic or doctor. If you have an unwanted pregnancy, the sooner you know, the better you can be helped to choose what to do.

There are lots of government clinics that give free family planning. Look in the phone book or call a local clinic to find the closest one. Marie Stopes are South African government-approved reproductive health clinics.

More on Abortion

About TOP’s

It is legal for women of any age to have an abortion in South Africa. No parental or partner permission is needed. It is your body and your decision to end or keep the pregnancy … nobody can force you. It is very important to go to a registered, legal facility. There are many people who advertise abortion services, but many are not legal and having a ‘backstreet abortion’ could be dangerous to your health and life.

Know Your Rights

Any woman can ask for an abortion in the first three months (12 weeks) of pregnancy. If you are three to five months (13-20 weeks) pregnant, an abortion can be performed under certain circumstances. It is very important to act quickly, the earlier you seek help the better.

Where to go

You can visit your doctor who will refer you to an appropriate facility and a consultation fee will be charged. You can go to a private organisation such as Marie Stopes where there will be also be a charge. Some government facilities offer abortions for free, see link below for a list of local government facilities which offer the service.

Abortion Methods

Medical abortion: Tablets to end an early pregnancy can be taken up until the 9th week of pregnancy. You will be given pills to take at the clinic and to take at home. It will cause you to bleed like a period, but it might be heavier than your normal period.

Surgical abortion: The pregnancy is removed whilst you are at the facility, typically through vacuum aspiration.

Importance of Knowing

It is important to know how many weeks pregnant you are as this will affect the type of abortion method available to you. For instance:

Medical abortions (pills) are only available if you are less than 64 days (up to 9 weeks) pregnant
Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) is a surgical abortion procedure that can be done up to 3 months (12 weeks) of pregnancy
For pregnancies over 3 months (12 weeks) medical or surgical procedures can be performed under certain circumstances.

Future Plans

If the abortion is done by a legal provider at a legal facility, problems after the procedure are rare. A trained counsellor will discuss your options and advise you on which family planning methods are suitable for you.