PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND CELEBRATES VALENTINE’S DAY AND NATIONAL CONDOM WEEK BY URGING PARTNERS TO TALK HONESTLY ABOUT CONDOMS

(New Haven, Conn.) — With National Condom Week set for February 14-21, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) encourages sexually active individuals to talk with their partners about using condoms consistently to help protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unintended pregnancy. Getting comfortable talking about safer sex and using condoms is one of the best ways to take care of your and your partner’s health.

“Everyone deserves a sex life that is safe and healthy as well as pleasurable,” said Kafi Rouse Director of Public Relations and Marketing with Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. “This Valentine’s Day, let your partner know that you want to use condoms every time you have sex so that you can both stay healthy.”

For National Condom Week, each PPSNE health center in Connecticut and Rhode Island will distribute Safe Is Sexy CondomGrams. The simple message “Safe is Sexy” reminds people to protect themselves and their partners with the use of condoms. The message is printed on a Valentine’s Day card and on the inside the recipient will find a free condom. 

The PPSNE Students Teaching About Responsible Sexuality (STARS) – a high school peer education group – and Generation Action Interns – a network of young organizers and activists – are distributing these CondomGrams on their college and high school campuses, as well as in communities, across Connecticut and Rhode Island.

“Latex and plastic condoms, as well as female/internal condoms, are very effective at preventing pregnancy. They are also the only type of birth control that helps protect against STDs,” said Rouse. “There are many condom varieties to choose from so you and your partner can find one to fit your needs. Continuous condom use helps protect your health and well-being – no matter how old you are or where you are in life.”

Rates of sexually transmitted diseases remain a major problem in this country, with the United States having the highest rate of STDs of any nation in the industrialized world. Every year, there are approximately 20 million new STDs in the U.S., half in young people ages 15-24. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced that cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis all increased in 2014.

Even when using another method of birth control, there may be risk of getting an sexually transmitted disease. Using condoms plus another effective method of birth control – like an IUD, implant, or pill – is the best way to prevent both pregnancy and STDs.

PPSNE is here to help make conversations about using condoms easier. We have resources and information on how to talk about condom use with your partner and how to use condoms correctly. Planned Parenthood of Southern New England works every day to reduce the number of STIs and unintended pregnancies and to keep people healthy. PPSNE provides provide educational and outreach programs to thousands of people of all ages every year.

For more information on PPSNE programs, visit ppsne.org.

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Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) is one of the region’s largest providers of family planning and reproductive health care services. Since 1923, PPSNE has evolved into an organization with 18 health centers in Connecticut and Rhode Island, delivering care to nearly 70,000 patients annually, and 90 percent of the services provided are preventive.