a-condom-kind-of-love

I picked up an old favorite erotic novel to read about a week ago (inspiration, y’know), and for the first time noticed this statement at the front, before the story even began:

“In real life, always practise safe sex.”

It interested me because that’s been something that’s occasionally nagged at me when writing my own work.

I don’t write hard-core realism.  There’s always a bit of fantasy about my published stories, whether it’s werewolves or alternate worlds, or just a touch of the comedic.  So I felt somewhat justified in not having my characters practice what would, in the ‘real’ world, be considered “safe sex”.

I must also confess that it seemed a pain in the ass to me to halt the riveting momentum of a hot sex scene to have the hero/heroine pause to fumble with a condom—no matter how sensually or artistically it’s put on.
It also seemed to be that, if you’re old enough to be reading this stuff, you should be old enough to KNOW about protecting yourself—a fantasy, perhaps, but there it is.

I rather liked the idea of having this sentence at the start, before the story even began, rather than interrupting each erotic scene with a ‘reality reminder’, but I’m curious.  How does everyone else feel about this issue?

Does it distract you if the author brings up birth control, condoms, or STDs?
Would you prefer having something like this at the beginning of the book, or do you credit the reader’s judgement and feel comfortable about not mentioning such things at all?