Editing Swinging (sexual practice) (section)

== Effects ==

=== Relationship quality ===
Research on swinging has been conducted in the United States since the late 1960s. One 2000 study, based on an Internet questionnaire addressed to visitors of swinger-related sites, found swingers reported happiness is higher in their relationships than the norm-reported happiness.<ref name="case_for_swingers" />
Some believe sexual attraction is part of human nature and should be openly enjoyed by a committed or married couple. An analysis of multiple studies showed 37% of husbands and 29% of wives admitted at least one extramarital affair.<ref name="Reinisch, Beasley, Kent, & Kinsey Institute 1990">{{cite book |last=Reinisch |first=June Machover |author-link=June Reinisch |last2=Beasley |first2=Ruth |last3=Kent |first3=Debra |author4=Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction |author4-link=Kinsey Institute |title=The Kinsey Institute New Report on Sex: What You Must Know to be Sexually Literate |publisher=St. Martin's Press |publication-place=New York |year=1990 |isbn=978-0-312-05268-3 |oclc=645832116|page=[https://archive.org/details/kinseyinstituten00rein_0/page/72/mode/2up 73]}}</ref>

===Sexually-transmitted infections===
Swingers are exposed to the same types of risks as people who engage in [[casual sex]], with the main concerns being the risk of pregnancy or contracting a [[sexually transmitted infection]] (STI). Some swingers engage in unprotected sex, a practice known as [[barebacking]], while others follow [[safe sex]] practices and will not engage with others who do not also practice safe sex. In most swingers' clubs, [[condom]]s are freely available and sometimes the club may require their use. Swingers may reduce the risk of STI by exchanging STI test results and [[serosorting]]. Proponents of swinging argue that safe sex is accepted within the swinging community and the risk of sexual disease is the same for them as for the general population&nbsp;– and that some populations of sexually non-monogamous people have clearly lower rates of STIs than the general population.<ref>{{cite journal |title=A Comparison of Sexual Health History and Practices among Monogamous and Consensually Nonmonogamous Sexual Partners. |year = 2015 |publisher=NCBI |pmid = 26395880 |last1=Lehmiller |first1= J. J. |journal=The Journal of Sexual Medicine |volume=12 |issue=10 |pages=2022–8 |doi = 10.1111/jsm.12987}}</ref> Opponents are also concerned about the risk of pregnancy and STIs such as [[HIV]], arguing that even protected sex is risky given that some STIs may be spread regardless of the use of condoms, such as [[Herpes]] and [[Human papillomavirus infection|HPV]]. In a 1992 study, an overall 7% of swingers had quit swinging because of the [[HIV/AIDS]] epidemic. It was also stated that 62% of swingers changed their sex practices, by becoming more selective with partners or by practicing safe sex.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jenks |first1=Richard J. |year=1998 |title=Swinging: A Review of the Literature |journal=Archives of Sexual Behavior |volume=27 |issue=5 |pages=507–521 |doi=10.1023/a:1018708730945 |pmid=9795730 |s2cid=5971960}}</ref>

A Dutch study that compared the medical records of self-reported swingers to that of the general population found that STI prevalence was highest in young people, homosexual men, and swingers.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1136/sti.2009.041954 |pmid=20577016 |title=Older and swinging; need to identify hidden and emerging risk groups at STI clinics |journal=Sexually Transmitted Infections |volume=86 |issue=4 |pages=315–317 |year=2010 |last1=Dukers-Muijrers |first1=N. H. T. M. |last2=Niekamp |first2=A.-M. |last3=Brouwers |first3=E. E. H. G. |last4=Hoebe |first4=C. J. P. A. |s2cid=30446684 |url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00557469/file/PEER_stage2_10.1136%252Fsti.2009.041954.pdf }}</ref> However, this study has been criticized as not being representative of swinger populations as a whole: its data was formulated solely on patients receiving treatment at an STI clinic. In addition, according to the conclusions of the report, the STI rates of swingers were in fact nearly identical to those of non-swinging straight couples, and concluded that the safest demographic for STI infection were female prostitutes. According to the Dutch study, "the combined rates of [[chlamydia]] and [[gonorrhea]] were just over 10% among straight people, 14% among gay men, just under 5% in female prostitutes, and 10.4% among swingers."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sex-diseases-swingers-idUSTRE65M6NX20100623 |work=Reuters |title=Disease risk higher for swingers than prostitutes |date=2010-06-23}}</ref>

=== Pregnancy ===
{{unsourced section|date=June 2023}}
While unwanted pregnancy is a risk with heterosexual vaginal sex in general, the possibility of impregnation by someone other than the committed-to partner adds a layer of concern, and may require prior discussion between the involved parties to establish consent about handling such a scenario.