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Stop Having Sex in These 7 Places, Says Gynecologist

It’s all fun and games until somebody gets BV.

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Adventurous sex always sounds so exciting and passionate. Culturally, “spontaneous” and “exciting” have become synonymous with “better,” and no one’s stopping to ask whether the hot tub, the beach, or the back seat of a car is actually a great idea from a health standpoint. A gynecologist is here to ruin the fantasy a little.

Dr. Kath Whitton, a CREI fertility specialist, gynecologist, and obstetrician, says the conversation around sex almost never addresses location, and it should. “We spend a lot of time discussing with whom and how, but where almost never comes up, and it genuinely matters,” she said, speaking with Body Soul.

The settings that cause the most problems, according to Dr. Whitton, usually involve water, heat, or both—all of which can disrupt the vagina’s naturally acidic environment and increase the risk of bacterial vaginosis, thrush, UTIs, and irritation.

Here’s where she draws the line.

Public Hot Tubs and Spas

Dr. Whitton’s number one concern. Research has found that around 67% of hot tubs and 63% of swimming pools test positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa at any given time, a bacteria that can........

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