Sexually Transmitted Diseases
What are STDs
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are an important factor to consider when engaging in sexual intercourse. It is important to understand the risks in having sex with a partner in order to take the appropriate precautions. This is a serious matter as STDs can lead to deadly consequences. As many as 19 million new cases are reported each year in the United States, at least half of which occur among subjects between the ages of 15 and 24. The most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States, excluding the HIV virus, are gonorrhea, genital herpes, chlamydia, syphilis, bacterial vaginosis, human papillomavirus, trichomoniasis and hepatitis B. Some STDs, if left untreated, can result in serious consequences such as infertility or even death.
How To Avoid Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)?
There are a number of protection methods for avoiding the contraction of a STD including abstinence, monogamy and barrier protection.
Abstinence
If one wants to protect himself or herself fully from contracting an STD, abstinence is the foolproof method. Since all sexual activities offer some level of risk of obtaining an STD, abstaining from any sexual contact provides full protection from contracting a disease. In order to fulfill sexual needs, masturbation is the only real alternative if implementing this method. Abstinence from all sexual activities provides 100 percent protection from STDs, although it may not be the preferred decision of individuals for fulfilling their sexual needs.
Monogamy
The next best way of avoiding a Sexually Transmitted Disease is by having sexual relations with a monogamous partner. At the outset of your relationship, it is important to understand the partner’s sexual history and general history. It is important to remember that STDs can also be contracted through blood transfusions (although unlikely) as well as sharing needles for drug purposes. When anyone first starts a relationship, it may also be wise to ask the partner to take a test for STDs, so any diseases are identified up front. Once the test has been done and both partners agree on being monogamous, then it is unlikely a STD will be contracted by either partner.
Condoms and Dams
If abstinence or monogamy are not the right options for an individual, the final method of prevention is barrier protection.
There are a number of ways one can avoid STDs through barrier protection, including the use of condoms and dams. This form of protection prevents the transmission of body fluids from one person to another by providing a physical boundary.
Condoms provide physical prevention of contact of the penis with other body parts during sex. Dams are used to prevent physical contact of the mouth with other body parts during sexual activity.
These products can be purchased in most pharmacies, drug stores and specialty stores.
An important element to note is that barrier protection methods are not 100 percent effective. They do reduce the risk, but there is always a chance of breakage. Individuals engaging in sexual activity using this method need to be mindful to put on the condom or dam before sexual activity begins where transmission of fluids is possible.
It is important to understand that in the prevention of STDs, it is essential that only latex or non-latex plastic condoms or dams are used. These materials are tight enough to stop body fluids from leaking through where other types of condoms, although adequate for protection against pregnancy, are likely to be too leaky to prevent transmission of an STD.
Maintain Carfulness
Maintaining carefulness is an important point in preventing STDs. Often individuals forget to protect themselves properly when they engage in sex after too many drinks or taking drugs. Drugs and alcohol tend to reduce inhibitions. Individuals who are serious about protecting themselves from STDs, must remember to keep a level head. Drinking among friends can help to deter entering into sex in a weakened state due to alcohol or drugs.
Again, some simple rules to avoid contracting a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD): Abstain if possible, take time to know the partner and invest in the right barrier protection. Taking these steps will assist in the prevention of contracting a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD).
How do Sexually Transmitted Diseases Affect Unborn Babies?
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) not only affect pregnant women as much or more than they affect non-pregnant women, but they also can endanger the development and even the lives of unborn babies as well. There are several types of common STDs. Syphilis, gonorrhea, HIV, genital herpes, chlamydia and trichomoniasis are some of the most common. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common infection in women and can be an STD; however BV can be caused by other means as well.
The most commonly reported STD in the United States is chlamydia. Living in semen and vaginal fluid, chlamydia can go undetected for quite some time. Caused by the bacteria chlamydia trachomatis, when left untreated chlamydia can cause permanent damage to female reproductive organs. Chlamydia as well as other STDs can cause a variety of adverse complications including infertility, cervical and other various cancers, pelvic inflammatory disease, hepatitis and more.
Many of these complications can be passed on to an unborn fetus. Some STDs spread to the infant upon delivery as the child passes through the birth canal. Among STDs that can be passed on in the birth canal are hepatitis B, gonorrhea, chlamydia and genital herpes. Other STDs are capable of being passed on through the placenta and can begin affecting the fetus while still in the womb. These include syphilis and HIV. However, HIV is unique in that it is also capable of being passed on during birth as the child passes through the birth canal or from breast feeding. If left untreated, syphilis, in particular, can begin affecting the child while still in the womb and adversely affect its development.
Various complications and adverse effects may occur in pregnant women with an STD. Premature labor, early rupture of the uterine membrane and post-delivery uterine infection are some complications that may affect the mother.
The child may have other adverse effects such as pneumonia, low birth weight, eye infection, infection in the blood stream, neurological damage, deafness, blindness, chronic liver disease, meningitis or acute hepatitis, or the child may be stillborn. Most of these symptoms can be prevented during regular prenatal care. Infections passed on through the birth canal can be treated post-delivery.
Antibiotics may be administered as treatment during pregnancy for nonviral STDs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis. For viral STD such as HIV and genital herpes, antiviral medications may be employed. If a women tests negative for hepatitis B, the appropriate vaccination may be used while she is pregnant. In some cases, a cesarean section (C-section) delivery may be done on women with visible herpes lesions or some HIV positive women in order to protect the baby from exposure to the STD.
The best prevention against STDs is abstinence. Monogamous, long-term relationships with partners who have had an STD screening can also be a good means of STD prevention.
Latex condoms, when used correctly and consistently, serve as a effective method of prevention for numerous STDs including HIV. For STDs that produce lesions, such as syphilis and genital herpes, the lesions must be securely covered by the latex condom in order to serve as an effective prevention to exposure.
The Centers for Disease Control Treatment Guidelines for 2006 for STDs advises pregnant women to have an STD screening on the first of their prenatal visits even if they have been screened in the past. The screening will usually include gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B and chlamydia. For women with a history of premature labor, bacterial vaginosis may be added to the panel. As some health care professionals may not routinely offer this screening, the CDC advises women to ask their health care provider about being screened.
What Sexually Transmitted Diseases Can Be Checked With Urine?
Different methods are used to test for different infections. These include blood tests, urine tests and genital swabs. The major STDs that are identified through urine testing are chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a common STD caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria. These bacteria generally infect the genitals but can sometimes infect the throat and rectum. More than 1 million new cases of chlamydia are reported to disease control centers in the United States each year. The highest rates of infection occur among teens and young adults. Chlamydia can be contracted from unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex. Up to 70 percent of infected subjects do not even know that they have it, as it does not always present symptoms. Because chlamydia is so difficult to detect, health care professionals recommend annual testing for all sexually active men and women under the age of 25. For those women who do present symptoms, warning signs of chlamydia can include painful urination, pain during sexual intercourse, vaginal discharge, pain in the lower abdomen and vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods. Among men, chlamydia can be indicated by painful urination or discharge from the penis. Chlamydia tends to infect women more than it does men, as women hold fluids and germs received from their male partners for an extended period after sexual intercourse. Chlamydia is diagnosed by examining the genital area and taking either a urine sample or a swab from the cervix or the tip of the penis or both. The samples are then tested in a laboratory, which can usually return results within a week.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is caused by a bacteria called Neisseria Gonorrhoeae, which propagates in moist areas such as the penis, vagina, anus, mouth, throat and eyes. Like chlamydia, it can be contracted from unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex. It can also be passed on from mother to child during childbirth. Warning signs of gonorrhea in men generally present themselves within 30 days of infection, but may never be present at all. Signs include pain or a burning sensation during urination and defecation, frequent urination, yellow, green or white discharge from the penis and swollen or painful testicles. Most women present no symptoms of gonorrhea; those who do may experience pain or a burning sensation during urination or defecation, increased vaginal discharge that is sometimes bloody or yellow, pain in the abdomen or lower back, pain during sexual intercourse, vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods or fever, which may indicate that the disease has progressed into pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can cause infertility and ectopic pregnancies. Gonorrhea could also result in disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI), which occurs when the untreated infection spreads to the heart, blood, joints or skin. Like chlamydia, gonorrhea often goes undetected and, therefore, should be tested for regularly, via urine samples or a swab of the genital area.
Both chlamydia and gonorrhea can be contracted from unprotected oral and anal sex. In cases where the mouth and anus alone are infected, genital smears and urine samples may not test positive. It is, therefore, important to inform the health care provider that one engages in such activities, in order to allow for additional tests.
STD Quick Facts
1. STDs are very common. If you are sexually active in anything but a totally monogamous relationship, you have a good chance of getting an STD. You can also get some of these diseases without sexual contact at all.
2. The best way to deal with an STD is to avoid getting it in the first place. Use preventive methods whenever possible.
3. If you think there is the slightest possibility you have an STD, get medical attention as soon as you can. In the meantime, try to figure out if the person you had sex with thinks she or he has been exposed to an STD.
4. If you should contract an STD, don’t have sex until you have been tested or are sure you are cured.
5. If you have an STD, inform all your recent partners personally.
6. Before accepting treatment, make sure you understand what you are taking and for how long, the side effects and any follow-up tests or treatment required. Don’t be embarrassed about asking questions. It’s your life, not theirs.
7. Remember, if you are cured you can get the same STD again. Also, having one STD doesn’t protect you from getting any others.
List of STD’s Treatment, Symptoms, and Information
Chancroid
Classification: Bacterial
Time after exposure: 2 weeks
Symptoms of Chancroid: Burning During Urination, Pain During Intercourse, Ulcers
Infected Area: Genitals
Curable: Yes
Treatment: Antibiotics
Can Reinfection Occur: Yes
Chlamydia
Classification: Bacterial
Time after exposure: 1-3 weeks
Symptoms of Chlamydia: Burning During Urination, Fever, Nausea, Pain During Intercourse, Pain in Testicles, Penile Discharge, Vaginal Discharge
Infected Area: Anus, Fallopian Tubes, Lining of Eyelid, Surfaces of Cervix, Surfaces of Urethra, Surfaces of Vagina, Throat
Curable: Yes
Treatment: Antibiotics
Can Reinfection Occur: Yes
Genital Herpes
Classification: Viral
Time after exposure: 2 weeks
Symptoms of Genital Herpes: Fever, Flu-like Symptoms, Sores
Infected Area: Genitals
Curable: No
Treatment: Antiviral medication, Daily suppressive therapy
Can Reinfection Occur: No
Genital Warts (HPV)
Classification: Viral
Time after exposure: months-years
Symptoms of Genital Warts: Bleeding Between Menstrual Periods, Genital Warts, Vaginal Discharge
Infected Area: Anus, Penis, Surfaces of Cervix, Surfaces of Urethra, Surfaces of Vagina, Throat
Curable: No
Treatment: Surgery to Remove Warts
Can Reinfection Occur: No
Gonorrhea
Classification: Bacterial
Time after exposure: 2-5 days
Symptoms of Gonorrhea: Burning During Urination, Frequent Urination, Penile Discharge, Vaginal Discharge
Infected Area: Anus, Lining of Eyelid, Throat
Curable: Yes
Treatment: Antibiotics
Can Reinfection Occur: Yes
Hepatitis B
Classification: Viral
Time after exposure: 30-180 days
Symptoms of Hepatitis B: Flu-like Symptoms, Jaundice, Loss of Appetite, Nausea, Weight Loss
Infected Area: Liver
Curable: Yes
Treatment: Antiviral medication
Can Reinfection Occur: Yes
HIV/AIDS
Classification: Viral
Time after exposure: 2-4 weeks
Symptoms of HIV/AIDS: Fever, Flu-like Symptoms, Skin Rash, Sores
Infected Area: Anywhere on the Body
Curable: No
Treatment: Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART)
Can Reinfection Occur: No
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Classification: Bacterial
Symptoms of PID: Bleeding Between Menstrual Periods, Fever, Lower Abdominal Pain, Pain During Intercourse, Vaginal Discharge
Infected Area: Fallopian Tubes
Curable: Yes
Treatment: Antibiotics
Can Reinfection Occur: Yes
Pubic Lice (Crabs)
Classification: Parasite
Time after exposure: 5 days
Symptoms of Crabs: Itching
Infected Area: Pubic Hair
Curable: Yes
Treatment: Prescription drugs
Can Reinfection Occur: Yes
Syphilis
Classification: Bacterial
Time after exposure: 10-90 days
Symptoms of Syphilis: Skin Rash, Sores
Infected Area: Anywhere on the Body, Genitals
Curable: Yes
Treatment: Antibiotics
Can Reinfection Occur: Yes
Trichomoniasis
Classification: Parasite
Time after exposure: 5-28 days
Symptoms of Trichomoniasis: Burning During Urination, Itching, Pain During Intercourse, Penile Discharge, Vaginal Discharge
Infected Area: Surfaces of Cervix
Curable: Yes
Treatment: Prescription drugs
Can Reinfection Occur: Yes
Resources about STDs
Pictures of STDs (graphic)
CDC information about Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
MedilinePlus information about STDs such as: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Herpes Simplex, HIV/AIDS, HPV, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis
Williams.edu information about STDs
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