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    Navigate: FAQ Home Page > Sexually Transmitted Infections > Female vs.male STI
    Posted on: 05/20/2008

    Question

    is it common for the female to get an sti and the male not get one?

    Answer

    I am not quite sure I understand the question, but will do my best. First, in heterosexual couples, a sexually transmitted infection is given to a female by an infected male. So, if this partner is your first, he has the STI.

    If he is not your first partner, than it is possible that you were infected by a previous sexual partner and have not given it to this partner yet. One reason for that is that different diseases are easier to transmit to another person - that is called the infectivity of the disease. For example, gonorrhea is very easily passed between partners and having sex with someone infected, you have about a one out of two chance of getting it. Another reason is that it is easier for females to get all STIs because of our anatomy - the vagina is a large mucus membrane and infected semen gets put there - with lots of chance of being absorbed. I hope that helps.


    Answered By:
    Nancy Brown , Ed.S, M.A., Ph.D.


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