If Samantha Jones, the sexy and sex-obsessed character on the hit television show Sex and the City, was a real woman, sexually transmitted disease counsellors might have to sit her down and explain the tenets of safe sex.

As Samantha once famously said in an episode: "I'm a tri-sexual. I'll try anything once."

This Friday, the fab four that made up one of television's most famous group of friends are making their eagerly anticipated big-screen debut in the Sex and the City movie.

But don't expect any frank talk about safe sex amidst the outrageous personal and professional escapades that are sure to be a big part of the movie's plot.

Over the show's six-season run on HBO in the United States and The Movie Network in Canada, only three episodes dealt with sexually transmitted infections (STI). Miranda was diagnosed with chlamydia, Charlotte got crabs after cavorting with a younger man and Samantha finally got an AIDS test.

But with the parade of sexual partners each character had, the issue might have come up more if these were real women.

"The women don't talk a lot about practising safe sex, even though they are very sexually active," Dr. Gina Ogilvie, associate director of the division of STI/HIV prevention and control at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, told CTV.ca.

"And you would think when they have their lunches and they sit in the diner that it would come up more. But it doesn't. And I think that's a disappointment and, from my vantage point, a lost opportunity."

During the show's run, the characters had multiple sexual partners:

• Carrie: 14
• Charlotte: 17
• Miranda: 18
• Samantha: 40 (including a short-lived relationship with a woman named Maria)

But according to Ogilvie, it's a person's behaviour, not how many partners they have, which dictates STI risk.

"Individuals can have more sexual partners, but if they've been very careful with their sexual partners, then their risk may be lower than the person who just has one or two risk encounters but chooses not to use condoms and practise safe sex."

However, regular condom use would not have fully eliminated the women's risk of contracting an STI, Ogilvie said.

"For instance, the story with Charlotte who got pubic lice. Well, condom use is not going to prevent pubic lice," Ogilvie said.

"So if you have more encounters, even if you're using condoms but you're not getting regularly screened for STIs, you could acquire one and not know it."

Advice for the four friends

But if Ogilvie were to offer counselling to each character on safe-sex practices, she said she would give the women the same advice, despite their different sexual history (and Samantha's drastically higher number of partners).

"When you look at the numbers, you would think that I might tone down my advice to Carrie versus someone like Samantha. But first of all, it's not just about what you do, it's also about your partner's history," Ogilvie said.

"So for each of them, I would certainly advise routine STI screening, particularly when they've moved to a new sexual partner or are planning to have a new sexual partner."

The show's loyal viewers may not have been watching a safe sex public service announcement. But that's not to be expected from a prime-time, cable network dramedy aimed at modern, urban women.

What fans should have taken from the show, and particularly from an empowered character like Samantha, according to Ogilvie, is more confidence to ask questions about different areas of sex and sexuality.

"I think one of the appealing things about Samantha is that she is very confident in her sexuality," Ogilvie said.

"I think what that permits women to do is potentially feel empowered to ask questions and seek knowledge and that this is not knowledge that they should feel ashamed about asking for or pursuing."

The Sex and the City movie opens in theatres on Friday.