Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)          

 Diseases & Related Conditions 

1.    Any woman can get BV. (BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS)

2.    Most people who have chlamydia don’t know it since the disease often has no symptoms.

3.    Anyone who is sexually active can get gonorrhea.

4.    Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer and the most common reason for liver                         transplantation.

5.    Genital herpes is a common STD, and most people with genital herpes infection do not knothey

       have it.

6.     Having an STD can make you more likely to get HIV.

7.     Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States.

8.     Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) can lead to serious consequences including infertility.

9.     The sexual behaviors that spread syphilis also spread other STDs, like HIV.

10.  Trichomoniasis is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is easy to cure.

11.    Chancroid, scabies, and more.

Prevention

How You Can Prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases

This page includes information about STD prevention, testing, and resources.

Get the Facts

Take Control

You have the facts; now protect yourself and your sexual partners. Effective strategies for reducing STD risk include:

Abstinence:   The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have sex (i.e., anal, vaginal or oral).

Vaccination:

 Vaccines are safe, effective, and recommended ways to prevent hepatitis B and HPV

  For males and females can protect against some of the most common types of HPV. It is best to get all   three doses (shots) before becoming sexually active. However,  HPV vaccines are recommended for all teen girls and women through age 26 and all teen boys and men through age 21, who did not get all three doses of the vaccine when they were younger.

if you were not vaccinated when you were younger. 

HPV Vaccines

HPV vaccines are given as a series of three shots over 6 months to protect against HPV infection and the health problems that HPV infection can cause. Two vaccines (Cervarix and Gardasil) protect against cervical cancers in women. One vaccine (Gardasil) also protects against genital warts and cancers of the anus, vagina and vulva. Both vaccines are available for females. Only Gardasil is available for males.

HPV vaccines offer the best protection to girls and boys who receive all three vaccine doses and have time to develop an immune response before being sexually active with another person. That's why HPV vaccination is recommended for preteen girls and boys at age 11 or 12 years.

Who else should get the HPV vaccine?

In addition to girls and boys aged 11 or 12 years, HPV vaccines are also recommended for teen boys and girls who did not get the vaccine when they were younger, teen girls and young women through age 26, as well as teen boys and young men through age 21.

The vaccine is also recommended for gay and bisexual men (or any man who has sex with a man). It is also recommended for men and women with compromised immune systems (including people living with HIV/AIDS) through age 26, if they did not get fully vaccinated when they were younger.

HPV Vaccine Safety

All vaccines used in the United States are required to go through years of extensive safety testing before they are licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Once in use, they are continually monitored for their safety and effectiveness.

There are two human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix. These vaccines are available to protect females against the two HPV types that cause most cervical cancers. The safety of Gardasil was studied in clinical trials with 29,000 females and males before it was licensed. The safety of Cervarix was studied in clinical trials with more than 30,000 females and males before it was licensed.

Both HPV vaccines are currently being monitored for any adverse events, especially rare events not identified in the study trials.

Mutual monogamy:

Mutual monogamy means that you agree to be sexually active with only one person, who has agreed to be sexually active only with you. Being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner is one of the most reliable ways to avoid STDs. But you must both be certain you are not infected with STDs. It is important to have an open and honest conversation with your partner.

Reduced number of sex partners:

Reducing your number of sex partners can decrease your risk for STDs. It is still important that you and your partner get tested, and that you share your test results with one another.

Condoms:

Correct and consistent use is highly effective in reducing STD transmission. Use a condom every time you have anal, vaginal, or oral sex.

Put Yourself to the Test

Knowing your STD status is a critical step to stopping STD transmission. If you know you are infected you can take steps to protect yourself and your partners.

Be sure to ask your healthcare provider to test you for STDs — asking is the only way to know whether you are receiving the right tests. And don’t forget to tell your partner to ask a healthcare provider about STD testing as well.

Many STDs can be easily diagnosed and treated. If either you or your partner is infected, both of you need to receive treatment at the same time to avoid getting re-infected.

You can quickly find a place to be tested for STDs by entering your zip code in the form below.   

STDs & Pregnancy

 
When a woman is pregnant STDs can be more serious for her and her baby.

• A pregnant woman with an STD can infect her baby before, during, or after the baby’s birth.
• She may also have a miscarriage, early labor, or early rupture of the membranes surrounding the baby in the uterus leading to a premature birth.
• Pregnant women should ask their doctors about getting tested for STDs because some doctors do not routinely perform these tests and many STDs have no symptoms.

STDs & Infertility

CDC Recommends Chlamydia Screening of All Sexually Active Women 25 and Under

 Chlamydia and gonorrhea are important preventable causes of infertility. Untreated, about 10-15% of women with chlamydia will develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Chlamydia can also cause fallopian tube infection without any symptoms. PID and “silent” infection in the upper genital tract may cause permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues, which can lead to infertility.

• An estimated 2.8 million cases of chlamydia and 718,000 cases of gonorrhea occur annually in the United States.
• Most women infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea have no symptoms.

CDC recommends annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active females 25 and under and for women older than 25 with risk factors such as a new sex partner or multiple partners.

Expedited Partner Therapy

 Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) is the clinical practice of treating the sex partners of patients diagnosed with chlamydia or gonorrhea by providing prescriptions or medications to the patient to take to his/her partner without the health care provider first examining the partner.