Only your doctor or gynaecologist deserves to know the number of men you have been intimate with.

Your body count is the number of people you have had sex with and that information is something that you should keep to yourself.

Even in new relationships where new partners try to familiarise with each other by asking questions, peering into past relationships, and trying to understand past sexual experiences; the question may arise from your [potential] boyfriend.

No matter how gently or how politely or innocently he asks, you should never tell, says Tracey Cox.

Tracey is a popular English author and columnist who specialises in dating, sex, and relationships.

The relationship expert believes that downplaying the figure of your body count when asked does not make sense. It is better to not answer the question at all, she opines.

“People will judge you no matter what answer you give when asked about past lovers and the assumption they make is usually wrong.

“Which is why I don’t care who’s doing the asking – whether it’s your partner, mother, best friend or beauty therapist – your answer to how many lovers you’ve had is no answer.”

You could tell your doctor, gynaecologist, or other medical professionals who need your sexual history for medical reasons, she adds.

That seems logical enough, given that those are professionals who have signed a confidentiality oath.

Your body count will be used against you

“Keep your mouth zipped even if nothing… has been [in there]… and don’t kid yourself: if you do blurt out a figure to your boyfriend, you will be judged – and not necessarily by the same rules he judges himself on.

“Even if he’s slept with 300, your three will be two too many,” the 57-year-old expert says, bringing to the fore yet again the ridiculousness of the double standard which society judges sexual activeness within the genders.

Men are hailed champs when they’ve been with numerous women, but women are called tramps for being even half as sexually adventurous as some of these men.

To avoid these unfair biases in society’s estimation of you, Tracy says keeping quiet about your body count is best.

Don’t tell your beau; not your friends and surely not your parents and you’ll be just fine.