Think you might have an STD?Every year approximately 10 billion dollars is spent on major STDs other than AIDS and their complications. This cost is shared by all Americans.
Today there are more than 30 STDs and over 200 strains of human papilloma virus (HPV).
A British study found that HPV infects 46% of teenage girls after their first sexual intercourse. HPV is directly linked to 99.7% of all cervical cancers. Nearly as many women die of cervical cancer each year as die of AIDS.
Herpes increased 500% in the past 20 years among Caucasian American teens.
Nearly 50% of African-American teens have genital herpes.
Nearly 1 in 10 teen girls has chlamydia; nearly half of all cases are girls 15-19 years old.
Over 80% of teens with STDs show no symptoms and therefore never get medical attention, leaving them exposed to the risk of serious complications years later.
In a national Kaiser Family Foundation survey, one out of every five sexually active teens reported that oral sex is safe sex. However, HIV, herpes, HPV, chancroid, intestinal parasites, gonorrhea, syphilis and hepatitis A & B can all be contracted through oral sex.
The risks of STDs vary with each disease, but risks include: infertility (you are unable to get pregnant and have children); pelvic inflammatory disease; risks to unborn children; cervical cancer; and in the case of HIV, death.
For more detailed information about STDs, visit www.medinstitute.org and click on "STD Overview."
Condoms
Condoms do not eliminate the risk of contracting an STD, and they do little to prevent many viral infections spread by skin-to-skin contact, especially HPV and herpes. In fact, the AIDS virus is so small (0.1 mm) it can potentially penetrate any standard condom.
Slippage and breakage of condoms is 26 percent.
Sexual Activity
New studies show that clinical depression in adolescent boys and girls is related to sexual activity and drinking.
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