Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

How do you get an STD?

You get STDs during sexual activity. This includes vaginal sex, oral sex and anal sex. Some STDs, including HPV and herpes, can even be spread by skin-to-skin contact. Others, such as HIV and hepatitis, can be spread through needle-sharing. You can get an STD from someone who has no symptoms.

Is there really that big of a big risk for me to get an STD?

Every day, over 40,000 people contract an STD in the U.S. That's about 28 people every minute. More than half of Americans will have an STD at some point in their lifetime.

But you can't get an STD while using a condom . right?

Wrong. Condoms reduce your risk of getting pregnant or getting an STD. They don't eliminate it.

• About 1 of every 5 teen couples using condoms for birth control gets pregnant within a year
• Condoms provide the best (though not complete) protection against HIV and gonorrhea
• Condoms are less effective protection against herpes type 2, trichomoniasis and chlamydia
• Condoms provide little protection against bacterial vaginosis and HPV (the most common STD)

Is oral sex safe?

Some people think that oral sex is a safe option to sexual intercourse because there's no risk of pregnancy. But syphilis, gonorrhea, genital herpes, HPV, and Chlamydia can all be contracted through oral sex. It's even possible to get HIV through oral sex. When you combine these physical risks with potential feelings of regret, the possibility of getting a bad reputation, and memories you can't forget, oral sex doesn't seem so safe after all.

What are the symptoms of STDs?

Some STDs cause symptoms such as an abnormal discharge from the penis or vagina, burning sensation when urinating and abdominal pain. Skin changes including rashes, ulcers and warts, can also occur. The scariest part? Most people with an STD have no symptoms, but they can still pass on the infection.

What is HPV?

HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is an STD that can cause genital warts. It also causes more than 90 percent of all cervical cancer, which kills about 5,000 American women yearly. Condoms provide almost no protection against HPV. You can get it from just fooling around, since it is passed by skin-to-skin contact, and most people with HPV show no symptoms. It is estimated 5.5 million new infections of HPV occur each year with at least 20 million people currently infected.

What about HIV/ AIDS? Am I at risk?

An estimated 50% of all new HIV infections occur among people under age 25, with the majority being infecting by sexual contact with a person carrying the disease.

Are teens more at risk for STDs?

Approximately two thirds of all people who get an STD are under 25. Adolescents and young adults (15-24) are at the greatest risk for acquiring an STD for reasons including:

• They may have less immunity (ability to fight a disease) than adults
• They may be more likely to have more than one sex partner
• They may be more likely to engaged in unprotected intercourse
• They may select partners at higher risk
• Age at start of sexual activity has decreased while age at first marriage has increased, resulting in more nonmarital sexual experience.

How many people are infected with an STD?

• In the United States it is estimated that there are more than 68 million current STDs.
• Each year, 15.3 million new STD infections occur, including over 3 million infections in teens.
• It is estimated that 20 percent of all Americans age 12 and older are infected with genital herpes.

How long have STDs been around?

In the 1970s, there were only two major STDs -- syphilis and gonorrhea. At least 25 new STDs have been identified since then, including HIV/AIDS.

Can STDs be cured?

While medical science had made great advances, the growth of STD infections continues to spread. Some bacterial STDs -- like chlamydia and gonorrhea -- can be "cured" with antibiotics, but can leave scars that often require future treatment and may cause infertility. And certain strains of gonorrhea are becoming increasing resistant to antibiotics. Viral STDs pose a major problem, because no medical cure has been found for any virus -- not even the common cold! This means if a person becomes infected with a viral STD -- like herpes, HPV or HIV -- there is no cure. Antiviral drugs reduce the number of outbreaks a person with herpes experiences, but they cannot eliminate the outbreaks entirely.

What is abstinence?

Abstinence means refraining from all sexual activity. Sexual activity includes sex and other actions intended to result in sexual arousal or gratification. Sex includes penile-vaginal, anal and oral sex. Other actions intended to result in sexual arousal or gratification include masturbation, mutual masturbation, fondling, the use of sex toys and the viewing of pornography. Abstinence is the healthiest behavior for unmarried individuals.

What are the ultimate benefits to abstinence before marriage?

Just to name a few.

• Forming healthy relationships build on communication and trust, not physical pleasure
• Building self-esteem
• Attaining your goals and dreams
• Avoiding life threatening STDs
• Avoiding unintended pregnancy
• Eliminating negative emotions

What is second virginity?

"Second virginity" is a return to abstinence following sexual experiences. A commitment to secondary virginity is often made with the goal of remaining abstinent until marriage. Increasing numbers of teens and young adults are making this decision to reduce their considerable risk for STDs and nonmarital pregnancies.