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Sexual Health
STIs/STDs - Sexually Transmitted Infections and Diseases
Are You at Risk?
-
Are you
sexually active?
-
Have you or
your sexual partner had other sexual partners?
-
Have you
changed sexual partners since you were last tested for STI’s?
-
Have you ever
had oral or anal sex?
Did You Know?
-
19 million
new infections occur each year.
-
Half of all
STI’s occur in people ages 15-24.
-
One in four
teenage girls has an STI.
-
STIs often
have no symptoms.
-
Infection
with an STI is possible without intercourse.
- When you
have sex with someone, you are exposing yourself to their sexual
history and
the sexual history of all their partners for the past ten
years.
- It takes
only ONE sexual partner to be at risk if that partner has had
one or more
other sexual partners.
What Causes STIs?
-
STI’s can be
caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites.
-
Chlamydia is
the most common bacterial STI.
-
Human
papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common viral STI.
How Do You Get STIs?
-
Any sexual
activity including vaginal sex, oral sex and anal sex.
-
HPV and
herpes can be spread by contact with infected skin.
-
You can get
STI’s from a person who has no symptoms.
What Are Some Symptoms of an STI?
-
STIs often
have no visible symptoms, so you or your partner may not even
know you
are infected.
-
Some common
symptoms include: pain or burning while urinating, rashes,
sores, blisters, itchiness, unusual discharge from the penis or
vagina and pain during sex.
What Are Some of the Possible Complications?
-
Pelvic
Inflammatory disease
-
Ectopic
Pregnancy (pregnancy somewhere other than the uterus)
-
Infertility
-
Cervical
Cancer or Penile Cancer
-
Miscarriage
or Stillbirth
-
Preterm
delivery
-
Death
What are the Available Treatments?
-
Most
bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics and cured.
-
Treatment
does not reverse any damage that may have already occurred.
-
Viral STIs
can be treated for symptoms, but not cured.
-
An HPV
vaccine has recently become available and is recommended for
young women
but it does not protect against all types of HPV that cause
cancer and warts.
How Can I Prevent Myself from Getting an STI?
-
The only way
to be 100% safe from STIs and HIV/AIDS is to abstain from all
sexual
activities until you and your uninfected partner can remain
faithful to each other for life.
-
Correct and
consistent condom use can reduce, but will not eliminate, your
risk of getting
most STIs.
-
Consistent
and correct condom use during vaginal sex reduces your risk for:
- HIV by 85%
- Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Herpes and Syphilis by about 50%
- HPV by 50% or less
For more
information:
STI/STD Fact
Sheets from the Center for Disease Control
Medical Institute
for Sexual Heath
STI Fact Sheets
Center for
Disease Control
CDC STD Pages
If you think you
may be infected with an STI see your healthcare provider right away.
Sources:
The Medical Institute for Sexual Health http://www.medinstitute.org
(Accessed March 2, 2009)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/std
(Accessed March 2, 2009)
National Institutes of Health
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/sexually_transmitted_diseases.cfm
(Accessed March 2, 2009)
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