1: Everyone else is having SO MUCH MORE sex than you

In college, it might seem like everyone is having sex and it might seem like they’re having more sex than you. However, according to a report by Collegestats.org the average number of sexual partners of men is about 14. For women its less than 12. But that is the average lifetime number, both men and women reported an average of five partners in college. An average of five partners over four years and not some different person each weekend. Don’t take everything at face value when your friend is exaggerating their number of sexual partners.  

2: A woman can’t get pregnant on her period

While this is technically correct, the chance of a woman getting pregnant on her period is still there. According to the American Pregnancy Association, this is due to the fact that the sperm will stay alive for five days inside the uterus and move towards the fallopian tubes to fertilize the egg. If a woman ovulation lines up with the time the sperm is still alive, a chance of fertilization is probable. Unless you and your partner are planning on pregnancy, you should always take all safety precautions because nothing is 100 percent effective. 

3: Birth control is 100 percent effective

No birth control method is 100 percent effective and that is a fact. According to Planned Parenthood, the most effective birth control is an implant or an IUD. Both are 99 percent effective. Planned Parenthood also states that the effectiveness of condoms comes in at 85 percent. The only failproof guarantee to avoid pregnancy is avoiding sex during ovulation. However, if you are not an individual that tracks that, using both birth control and a condom is the best way to drastically reduce the chance of pregnancy according to Planned Parenthood.

4: I don’t have an STD, I don’t need to use a condom

A condom should be worn in order to reduce the chance of spreading a sexually transmitted disease. According to the Center for Disease Control, condom effectiveness for STD and HIV prevention have been demonstrated in both lab and epidemiologic studies. The incubation period, or time a disease remains dormant can vary among sexually transmitted diseases and sexually transmitted infections. For example, according to Verywell Health, the average amount of time it takes for genital herpes to appear is anywhere between two days or two weeks. However, on average it can take 10-90 days for the symptoms of syphilis to appear. This means that you can inadvertently expose a partner to an STD or STI without even knowing you have it.

5: Plan B is an abortion pill

Even if you and your partner take all necessary precautions, accidents will always happen. Don’t worry, because according to Women’s Health, Plan B can prevent a pregnancy up to four days after sex. However, if an egg is already fertilized, Plan B will not abort the fertilized egg.  The drug which is used to induce an abortion and Plan B serve fundamentally different purposes. Plan B is a drug which introduces hormones into a woman’s body that tricks an unfertilized egg into thinking it is fertilized. This prevents the sperm from fertilizing the egg because the egg already thinks it is fertilized. Therefore, it is essential to take a Plan B as soon as possible in order to increase its effectiveness.

6: You can’t get an STD/STI from oral sex

During oral sex it is possible to transmit a sexually transmitted infection or an STD. According to the CDC, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, HPV and HIV are all transmittable through oral sex. The transmission of an STD could be passed to you from your partner if they have cold sores or fever blisters. This means that if your partner has a cold sore on their mouth, this a herpes virus and they could give you herpes in your genital area because that is where infection occurred. The CDC states that the most effective way to lower the risk of STD or STI transmission during oral sex is the use of condoms, dental damn or another barrier method.