What to do if a condom breaks?
Q: On a recent hook-up with a FWB we realised after the act that the condom had broken! The girl I was with is on birth control so she’s pretty sure she’s okay on the pregnancy front, but what about all the other things? How do we go about making sure we’re both okay? Is there a time limit? Help!
Ah, shit! Broken condoms are one of those super stressful things that can really put a spanner in the works of those relaxed no-strings moments. All of a sudden there’s a million strings to figure out and it can be a little overwhelming if you’ve not gone through it before.
The main thing to do is relax, take a deep breath, and take it all one step at a time, and luckily most of those steps can all be done at the same place.
While I know you said your friend is on birth control, it can’t hurt to have a little bit of extra protection just in case. The Morning After Pill is an effective way to halt the body’s cycle and stop conception and is available at pharmacies over the counter without a prescription. It is most effective if taken up to 72 hours after sex. While it can have a few side effects like headaches and nausea it’s probably the best way to protect yourself from unwanted pregnancy in these cases. Be aware that if the person taking the pill vomits within the first few hours it may not work, and they should see a GP as soon as possible to sort the next steps. It can also disrupt the cycle of their regular pill (if that’s the birth control they are using) so make sure they talk to the pharmacist about that when they go in. It can be anonymous if you want, although they do like you to answer a few survey Qs for their records.
The best thing for you both to do is take a visit to your GP or sexual health clinic. These appointments are strictly confidential and in some clinics you don’t even need your Medicare card so you can be 100% anonymous. Please check before going in what identification if any you will need to see the doctor.
When you go in explain to them what has happened and that you would like a full STI check. In these checks they will take both blood and urine samples as well as swabs from your mouth and genitals (please insist they do all these tests as some GPs will only do a couple of them). These are mostly painless (albeit a little uncomfortable sometimes) and the whole process doesn’t take long at all. You should get the results back within the week, although some doctors and clinics may ask you to submit to further tests for certain STIs that may take a bit longer to show up.
If you DO happen to get a positive result back it is not the end of the world. Most STIs are easily treatable and even the ones that are trickier to deal with are definitely easier to manage these days. It is also imperative you tell your sexual partners if you return a positive result. While it can be an awkward and difficult conversation to have, it is vitally important to their, and others’, sexual health and well-being. There are also legalities that surround non-disclosure of STIs, so be aware of that.
The other thing you should be aware of is that condoms don’t protect against all STIs. Things like herpes and syphilis are topical on the skin and even without noticeable sores etc can still be passed on so even without super obvious things like broken condoms, if you’re a sexually active person sleeping with other sexually active people, you should be getting regular STI checks every few months. It’s easy to do and does wonders for your peace of mind. As another aside, please always make sure your condoms are in date, have been stored properly out of direct sunlight and away from anything sharp that could prick or tear it. Always use lube with them so they don’t dry out and tear, and please always be aware of what’s happening “down there” during sex as you can often feel it slipping or tearing and can rectify it more quickly.
Also remember that oral sex is just as risky as penetrative sex and many STIs can be passed on via the mouth and throat so condoms and dams (a thin latex sheet used for oral sex on vaginas and anuses) can be an effective tool in STI prevention there too.
For those of you who spend a lot of time on AMM hooking up and making connections you’ll see we have updated our profile selections to add some “Health” options under Lifestyle so you can update these to be more specific in your searches and people searching for you.
I hope this information helps and you’re feeling a little less overwhelmed.
Good luck and go call the clinic now!
10 comments
2forfun4u45
More than a month agoAnd this is the exact reason we ask playmates to get tested before meeting them, we are also tested before and 4-5 weeks after, we only play every few months so it works for us, of course the other parties results are obsolete if they play between getting them and meeting us but we try to keep ourselves safe as best as possible for our sake and that of anyone we might meet.
ReplyAnd yes some people have decided it's too much to ask or its too embarrassing to go get tested, these are the people we won't meet.
Flame away if you like, we've heard it all before.
triXXXi66
More than a month agoWe think that anyone that swings and plays with multiple sex partners are crazy not to practice safe sex! As a couple, skin to skin is sacred to us only.. everyone else has to be protected! And sexual health check ups are vital for a peace of mind and enjoyable encounters. But really , its like a police clearance certificate ... if some one has a clear sexual health check up dont let that fool you.. they may have committed a crime( unprotected sex) and havent been caught yet!
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ReplyBlackGuy2020
More than a month agoSo true. Also emergences of super STIs.....There is no room for a mistake.
DeliciousEva
More than a month agoI also want to add that precum and vaginal lubrication can also carry STIs so even "before the act" in foreplay and touching and all that stuff there are risks to be aware of.
Safe playing everyone!
<3
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ReplyEthicalSlutAU
More than a month agoTrack your fluids! When a guy is excreting a bit of precum, it can become second nature to wipe it off with your finger or thumb. What happens with that finger or thumb could result in you inadvertently engaging in unsafe sex...
DeliciousEva
More than a month ago"track your fluids"
I like that.
:)
allinmymind
More than a month agoGeeky I decided if I feel that way, this scene is probably not for me. I worried about some on a finger being wiped off on a towel.
McCoy1
More than a month agoGeneral rule of thumb. If you re sleeping with multiple people STI checks should be a regular thing you get done regardless.
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ReplyAccount Closed
More than a month agoYou got the nail right on the Head get STI checks cease playing without a condom till cleared . But importantly fish it out if some of it is still inside. And Ladys if not on the Pill morning after Pill.
Account Closed
More than a month agoEven if you're sleeping with just 1 partner still get checked. You may think they're only sleeping with you but you could be very wrong.