Couples in a monogamous relationship are no safer from contracting sexually transmitted infections than individuals with multiple sexual partners, a new study claims.
The study, published in The Journal for Sexual Health, examined 556 participants over the age of 18. Of these, 351 were in a monogamous relationship and 205 were consensually non-monogamous (CNM) relationship.
Study leader Justin Lehmiller, director of the social psychology graduate programme at Ball State University, asked individuals whether they were faithful, whether they used condoms and how often they were tested for STIs.
The results indicated “the percentage of participants reporting previous STI diagnoses did not differ across relationship type.”
Mr Lehmiller suggested the similar levels were a result of infidelity.
Approximately a quarter of individuals in a monogamous relationship admitted to cheating and not telling their partner.
Despite this, CNM individuals were found to take more precautions over their sexual health with a “greater condom use during intercourse with all partners and a higher likelihood of STI testing.”
He concluded: “although persons in CNM relationships had more sexual partners, the precautions they took did not appear to elevate their rate of STIs above an imperfect implementation of monogamy.”
