NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Sexual activity other than intercourse carries some risk of sexually transmitted disease, and doctors should make sure their patients understand that, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

Many people may engage in "noncoital" sexual activities such as oral sex, mutual masturbation and anal sex to prevent pregnancy and cut the risk of STDs. However, all of these sex acts come with some degree of STD risk, and it's still important for people to protect themselves, according to an ACOG expert committee.

"Most people, including adolescents, are improbable to use condoms during oral sex, which places them at risk for acquiring an STD," Dr. Richard Guido, one of the report authors, said in an ACOG statement. "This unlikelihood is in some measure because of a greater perceived safety compared with intercourse."

Writing in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, the panel advises doctors to ask patients — adults and teenagers — about all of their sexual activities, and to counsel them on to what degree to reduce their STD risks. Although this "is a sensitive issue to address for both patients and physicians, it's important to discuss sexuality frankly and without judgment so that we can help our patients fully protect themselves against STDs," Guido added.

While oral sex is generally safer than vaginal or anal sex, the ACOG committee notes, it is not without risk. The viruses that cause genital anti-herpes, genital warts and hepatitis can all be transmitted through oral sex. The same is true of the bacterial STDs syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.