Rubbers, wrappers, prophylactics—whatever you choose to call them, condoms play an important role in keeping you alive and well. Perhaps you’ve been confronted with the to-use-or-not-to-use dilemma in the heat of the moment, or you prefer sex without a layer of latex. What you may not realize is that condoms are vital to your sexual health. If you don’t use them because you take the pill (or the patch, or the shot), you’re not off the hook. Condoms are not only a method of birth control, they’re an STI-preventing, life-saving precautionary measure that you should always take—no matter how hot the moment gets.

Now that you’re in your twenties, you surely know there are a host of sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, you can contract from unprotected sex. If not, here’s a brief recap… (excerpt only)