How to Answer: “Are You Sexually Active?”

The Gist

It’s complicated, but “sexually active” does mean any kind of sex acts with all sex partners.

Really?!

So if you had sex one time five years ago and haven’t had sex since, are you still considered sexually active when they ask you at the doctors office?

It depends on what kind of doctor you're seeing, what they're looking for, and what any potential problems might be.

What Now?

Your doctor at a primary care appointment is wondering if they should do an STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) test.

At an ER or a bunch of other kinds of doctors are always curious if there's a chance you might be pregnant if you have the parts for that and then often this question is coupled with other questions around like "risky behavior" for whether you should get an HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) test or they should be looking out for other kinds of infections.

Too Long; Didn’t Read

Check out our TikTok video on what being “sexually active” means.

About Wingspan Health

Wingspan Health is a healthcare management tool that organizes your medical information in one place. We connect all your online doctor accounts in one place and help you make use of it. Our tool is currently accessible through our website and is free for all users.

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