Guest Author - Suzanne Gregory
April is STD awareness month. In this article I will be listing some of the STD’s and the facts about them.
Sexually transmitted infections are obtained through sexual contact with an infected partner. Some STD’s can be transmitted from person to person without intercourse ever taking place, while others can be spread even with the use of condoms. There are over 20 types of STD’s and all of them can have serious consequences.
Most STD’s can infect both male and female partners but in the majority of the cases, the woman suffers the most ill effects. If a pregnant woman has an STD, it can pose serious health risks to the fetus.
STD’s come in two types, bacterial and viral. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics, while viral infections have no cure.
-The most commonly known STD is probably HIV/AIDS.
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and is the progression to the full blown form of the disease. It is spread through unprotected sex, sharing of dirty drug needles and through blood from an infected person. It can also be passed on from mother to child during pregnancy and delivery.
There is no cure but there are many effective medicines that can keep you healthy longer and living for many years.
-The most common of the sexually transmitted diseases is Human papillomaviruses or (HPV). There are currently several vaccines on the market to help prevent the disease, but again there is no cure. There are over 100 types of the disease with most being relatively harmless, while roughly 30 others can cause certain types of cancer in both men and women if left untreated.
Some of the strains of HPV can cause genital warts, while others show no symptoms. Condoms can reduce your chance of getting this disease but it does not prevent it.
- Trichomoniasis is an STD caused by a parasite. It affects both men and women and can be cured by antibiotics. This is another of the STD’s that condoms can help prevent but cannot guarantee you from infection.
- Gonorrhea is an STD that can cause infertility in people who do not seek treatment with antibiotics. It can also be passed from pregnant mother to baby in pregnancy.
To find an STD testing center in your area, I have included this link