Pelvic health

You might be at risk of cancer of the cervix, ovaries or uterus if you have not had surgery to remove them. This is true whether or not you take testosterone. Testosterone therapy doesn't change your risk of these cancers.

For good pelvic health, your care professional may suggest the following exams and tests. Your comfort during these exams is important. Talk with your healthcare professional about what would help put you at ease.

• A pelvic exam. This exam checks for problems with the uterus, vagina, ovaries and cervix. During a pelvic exam, a care professional looks at the genitals, feels inside the vagina, and looks at the vagina and cervix. If you are not comfortable having a pelvic exam, tell your care professional. You may have the option of having the procedure while you are under sedation.
• Pap test. For this test, a healthcare professional uses a small, soft brush to collect cells from the cervix. The cells are studied under a microscope to look for changes that could be signs of cancer. In many cases, a test for types of the human papilloma virus (HPV) that could put you at high risk of cervical cancer is done at the same time.
• Sexually transmitted infection tests. You can get a sexually transmitted infection from oral, anal or vaginal sex. These infections include chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and hepatitis. HPV and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) also can be passed during sex. Depending on your situation, your healthcare professional might suggest that you have regular screenings for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

To protect your health:

• Use a condom or other barrier protection. Use a new condom every time you have vaginal or anal sex. During digital penetration, think about using a latex glove. During oral sex, use a latex barrier, also called a dental dam. Use only water-based lubricants. Do not use petroleum jelly, hand lotion, cold cream or oil-based products. They can weaken latex condoms and cause them to break.

• Get tested and have your partner get tested. Do not have unprotected sex unless you are sure you and your partner are not infected with a sexually transmitted infection. Testing is important because many people do not know they are infected. And some might not be honest about their health.

  Keep in mind that a person may be infected with HIV and have a negative test result. It can take up to three months after being infected with HIV for a blood test to become positive. You and your partner may want to be retested after three months from a possible exposure to HIV.

• Treat sexually transmitted infections. If you have an infection, follow the treatment plan your healthcare professional gives you. To help prevent repeat infections, ask that you and your partner or partners get treatment at the same time.

• Take steps to prevent and treat HIV. If you are concerned about HIV, talk to your care professional about medicines that may help prevent it. Some medications may help prevent HIV even if you have unprotected sex with someone who has HIV.

  If you are at high risk of exposure to other people who have HIV, your healthcare professional may recommend preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). You take one or more medicines daily. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) consists of one or more medicines that you take soon after a possible exposure to HIV. If you or your partner or partners have HIV, follow the plan your care professional gives you for how to treat and monitor the infection.

• Get vaccinated. Vaccines can protect you from hepatitis A and hepatitis B. These serious liver infections can spread through sexual contact. HPV also can be passed to you during sex. HPV can cause cancer of the cervix. The HPV vaccine can help prevent most types of cervical cancer and genital warts. It is available to children, teens and young adults.

Not all sexually transmitted infections are prevented by vaccines. For example, there are no vaccines for hepatitis C, HIV, herpes, gonorrhea or chlamydia.

• Know the risks of sexual settings. Sexual settings such as those found through the internet can make it easy to have many sexual partners and to have sex with people you do not know. Some people who have a sexually transmitted infection may not tell you about it.
• Practice safer sex. Do not share sexual devices. Protect them with a condom and clean them with soap and water before and after every use.