Understand what the 7 Ps of sexual health are
If you have ever wondered, “what are the 7 Ps of sexual health?” you are not alone. The 7 Ps are a simple framework your provider can use during a sexual health visit to better understand you, your body, and your goals. Instead of focusing only on disease, this approach looks at your relationships, identity, safety, and overall wellbeing.
Different organizations use slightly different versions of the 7 Ps. They all build on the original “5 Ps” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which are:
- Partners
- Practices
- Protection from STIs
- Past history of STIs
- Pregnancy intention
These 5 Ps help guide sexual history taking for STI prevention and care (CDC).
Newer models expand this list to include topics like permission and pronouns, or pleasure and pride (BIPOC Women’s Health, NACCHO). No matter which version your provider uses, the goal is the same. You get a more complete, respectful, and affirming conversation about your sexual health.
Below, you will walk through a commonly used version of the 7 Ps and how each one can improve your life, both in and out of the exam room.
1. Permission and privacy
Most models now start with permission. Before anyone asks about partners or practices, you should know you are in control of what you share.
Permission usually covers:
- Letting you know the topic: that you will be talking about sexual and reproductive health
- Explaining confidentiality and any limits to it, such as safety concerns
- Asking if you feel okay discussing these topics and inviting questions
This approach helps create a safer, more culturally respectful environment for you to talk openly (BIPOC Women’s Health).
How this P improves your life
When your provider starts with permission and privacy, you can:
- Set boundaries around what you want to discuss
- Ask about anything that worries or confuses you
- Feel more comfortable being honest, which leads to better care
If a provider skips this step, you can gently ask for it. For example, you might say, “Before we start, can you tell me how my information will be kept private?”
2. Pronouns and personal identity
Your gender identity, pronouns, and sexual orientation all matter in sexual health. Some 7 P frameworks highlight this as “Pronouns” or “Personal identity” so that your provider does not make assumptions about who you are or who you are attracted to (BIPOC Women’s Health).
You might be asked:
- What name you like to use
- What pronouns you use
- How you describe your gender
- How you describe your sexual orientation, if you want to share
How this P improves your life
When providers use your correct name and pronouns, you are more likely to:
- Feel seen and respected
- Trust your care team
- Share important details that affect your health, like hormone use or specific body parts that need screening
If your identity changes over time, you can update your provider. Your care should follow you, not the other way around.
3. Partners
Partners is one of the original 5 Ps and is included in all versions of the 7 Ps. It focuses on who you are having sex with, without judging or assuming anything about you (CDC).
Questions about partners might include:
- Are you sexually active right now?
- Do you have sex with men, women, nonbinary people, or a mix?
- Do you have one partner or more than one?
- Have you had any new partners recently?
The goal is to understand your STI risk in a realistic way, not to label your sexuality.
How this P improves your life
Talking openly about partners can help you:
- Figure out what kind of STI testing schedule makes sense for you
- Understand how a partner’s risk factors might affect your health
- Get support if you are in a relationship that feels unsafe or controlling
If you are not sexually active, saying that clearly is also helpful. Your provider can still talk with you about future plans, consent, and prevention.
4. Practices
Practices refers to the kinds of sexual activities you have. This might include vaginal, anal, or oral sex, as well as what body parts are involved (CDC). Some models also include questions about pleasure, sexual function, or substance use that affects sex (BIPOC Women’s Health, American Academy of Family Physicians).
You might hear questions like:
- What kinds of sexual activities do you have, for example oral, vaginal, anal?
- Which body parts are involved?
- Do you use sex toys, and do you share them?
- Are you satisfied with your sex life right now?
- Do alcohol or drugs ever play a role in your sexual activity?
These details guide which tests you need and what prevention strategies may work for you.
How this P improves your life
When you talk honestly about your practices, you can:
- Get the right STI tests, for example throat or rectal swabs if needed
- Learn harm reduction strategies that match how you actually have sex
- Address pain, low desire, or difficulty with arousal without feeling embarrassed
You are allowed to say, “I am not sure how to describe this” or “I have a sensitive question.” Your provider’s job is to help translate, not to judge.
5. Protection from STIs
Protection from STIs is another core P that appears in every model. Here, your provider explores what you currently do, if anything, to reduce STI risk, and what might work better for you (CDC).
They may ask:
- Do you use condoms or other barriers, and how often?
- Do you and your partner have an agreement about monogamy or seeing other people?
- When was the last time you were tested for STIs?
- Have you been vaccinated for HPV or hepatitis A and B? (BIPOC Women’s Health)
This is not a test you can pass or fail. It is simply a snapshot of where you are today.
How this P improves your life
By reviewing your STI protection, you can:
- Catch infections early or prevent them entirely
- Learn about tools you may not know, like different condom sizes or types of barriers
- Talk through realistic steps that fit your lifestyle, such as regular testing if you have multiple partners
You and your provider can work together to build a plan that feels doable, not overwhelming.
6. Past history of STIs and sexual health
Past history looks at what has already happened in your sexual health. This includes previous STIs, treatments, and any long-term effects. The CDC lists “Past history of STIs” as one of the original Ps (CDC).
You might be asked:
- Have you ever been told you had an STI, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, or HIV?
- When was that, and how was it treated?
- Have you ever had abnormal Pap tests or other related issues?
Some expanded frameworks also use this P to explore broader sexual health history, including past trauma or uncomfortable experiences, if you choose to share them (BIPOC Women’s Health).
How this P improves your life
Knowing your past history helps you and your provider:
- Choose the right screening tests and follow up
- Watch for conditions that might recur or need long-term care
- Understand how past experiences may affect your comfort, boundaries, or desire now
If any topic feels too sensitive, you can say, “I am not ready to talk about that today” or “Can we come back to that later?” Your comfort is important.
7. Pregnancy intention and reproductive plans
The final P in most models focuses on pregnancy. The CDC calls this “Pregnancy intention” and includes questions about whether pregnancy is possible for you and whether you want to avoid it, achieve it soon, or remain open to it in the future (CDC).
You might hear:
- Could you or a partner become pregnant with the types of sex you are having?
- Would you like to become pregnant in the next year, not for a while, or not at all?
- Are you using anything to prevent pregnancy right now?
Other frameworks call this “Pregnancy” or “Pregnancy prevention / reproductive life plan” (NACCHO).
How this P improves your life
Clarifying your pregnancy goals helps you:
- Choose birth control that matches your body and your plans
- Get preconception counseling if you want to become pregnant, including STI screening and vaccine updates (American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Feel more in control of your reproductive choices over time
Your answer can change at any point. Each visit is a new chance to adjust your plan.
Other Ps you might hear: pleasure and pride
Some experts encourage providers to go beyond risk and prevention. The National Coalition for Sexual Health, for example, adds a P for pleasure that covers sexual satisfaction, functioning, problems, and pride, including support for your gender identity and sexual orientation (NACCHO).
Others have suggested pleasure as a sixth P to better address sexual concerns and wellness, not only disease (American Academy of Family Physicians).
If your provider does not ask about pleasure, you can still bring it up. You might say:
- “I want sex to feel better, can we talk about that?”
- “I am having trouble with arousal or orgasm, is there something we can check?”
Enjoyment, comfort, and pride in who you are are all valid parts of sexual health.
How to use the 7 Ps at your next visit
You do not need to memorize every P, but having a general sense of them can help you walk into your next appointment feeling ready.
Here is a simple way to prepare:
- Permission and privacy: Think about what you feel okay talking about and any limits you want to set.
- Pronouns and identity: Decide how you want to describe yourself and your relationships.
- Partners: Make a quick mental note of how many partners you have and whether any are new.
- Practices: Consider what types of sex you have and where on your body that might affect testing.
- Protection: Recall how often you use condoms or barriers and when you were last tested.
- Past history: Write down any previous STIs or related treatments if you can remember them.
- Pregnancy intention: Check in with yourself about whether you want to avoid pregnancy, pursue it, or keep your options open.
You can even bring a short list of questions, such as:
- “What STI tests do you recommend for me based on my practices?”
- “Can we review my birth control options?”
- “How often should I get tested if my situation stays the same?”
These questions use the 7 Ps as a roadmap but keep the focus on your actual life.
Key takeaways
- When you ask “what are the 7 Ps of sexual health?” you are really asking how to have a fuller, more honest conversation about your body and experiences.
- The 7 Ps expand on the CDC’s original 5 Ps, covering partners, practices, protection, past history, pregnancy intention, and often permission, pronouns, and pleasure (CDC, NACCHO, BIPOC Women’s Health).
- Using this framework, you and your provider can tailor screening, counseling, and treatment to your real needs, not a one size fits all script.
If you have an appointment coming up, choose one P to focus on, such as protection or pleasure, and plan one question around it. That small step can make your next visit feel more supportive and more aligned with the sexual health you want for yourself.
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