People who don’t want to gamble that their sex life could expose them to infection with AIDS can take steps to protect themselves.

They don’t have to say no to sex, but they do have to say yes to safe sex. Here are some tips:

Use a condom for vaginal or anal sex. Anal sex is by far the riskiest kind of sex to have with someone infected because it often results in tiny tears in the skin that provide entrance to the AIDS virus.

Reducing your number of sexual partners reduces the odds of coming into contact with someone infected.

Get to know your partner before having sex. People don’t always reveal their sexual or drug-taking history, but they may give you clues that can help you decide whether to get intimate.

Don’t mix heavy alcohol or drugs with sexual episodes because they can cloud judgment, making it that much easier to forget to use condoms or to end up in a sexual relationship you later regret.

Talk to your partner about any fears of AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases. Although it can take courage to do this, the other person could be as worried as you are.