London, Nov 21 A new British survey has found that tens of thousands of people still shy away from taking about sexually transmitted infections, thereby risking their health.

According to the Government's survey of 2,000 people aged 16 to 50, nearly 31percent people never talk about sexual health with their partners.

Over a quarter confessed that are too embarrassed to enquire about sex, and 62percent say they end up joking while discussing about sex.

One-sixth of those surveyed did not know that infections like herpes and genital warts could not be cured by the use of antibiotics.

The polls also found that one-fifth of the respondents were unaware that a woman could get pregnant while she was menstruating or if the man withdrew before ejaculation.

Almost 11percent did not realise that having intercourse while standing up could also cause a women to get pregnant.

And over three quarters offered sexual health advice to people without themselves being sure of what they were advising.

"Ignorance is just as transmissible as chlamydia or HIV and we need to take firm steps to prevent all of those things from spreading," Sky News quoted Lisa Power, head of policy at sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust, as saying.

"In spite of our love of talking about sex and relationships, the survey suggests it's our lack of knowledge that is causing confusion," psychologist Dr Pam Spurr said.

Spurr added: "We've still got some way to go before we swap jokes and banter for the open, honest and informed conversations about sexual health and relationships that most of us would like." (ANI)