STDs: what everyone must be aware of

STDs: what everyone must be aware of

6 min read · Sex life

Unprotected sex can lead not only to unwanted pregnancies but also to serious health problems. Yes, we are talking about venereal diseases. Despite the knowledge people already have and the efforts of doctors, the number of STDs cases increase every year.

STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) can also be transmitted through the blood or mucosa, but in 95% of cases, infections are passed from one person to another through sexual contact.

In total, there are about 30 such diseases. Here are the most common ones:

  • Syphilis
  • Clamidiosis
  • HIV
  • Gonorrhea
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV)
  • Herpes
  • Hepatitis
  • Lichen

What are the risks of sexually transmitted diseases?

The insidiousness of these diseases lies in the fact that many of them occur without symptoms or with minor manifestations. As a result, one may not even be aware of carrying the disease. This delayed treatment of STDs leads to serious consequences:

  • Patients with syphilis and herpes have a three-fold increased risk of Contracting HIV
  • Syphilis destroys bones, skin, and the nervous system
  • There is still no cure for HIV. This disease destroys the immune system. One can die of a common cold
  • Hepatitis B virus can also cause liver cirrhosis
  • Chlamydia is the cause of infertility and causes blindness

How do I know if I am infected or not?

It is impossible to know immediately after unprotected sexual contact. STDs have an incubation period (you are already infected, but you can't detect it yet). Each infection has a different incubation period. For HIV, for example, it can go on for up to six months. You should pay a visit to the doctor 1-2 weeks after sex. You need to take a smear test by PCR to determine the infection. Blood needs to be drawn to be tested for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B two months later.

How to avoid infection?

Here are some simple but effective ways:

  • Use protection for sexual encounters
  • Make sure that you use a condom correctly (otherwise, the risk of infection is still high)
  • Unprotected sex can only have pace with a trusted partner. Do not hesitate to ask them about test results. That is the only way to be 100% sure that your partner is healthy
  • Avoid casual sex and one-night stands

Statistics on sexually transmitted infections

  • More than 1 million people are infected with venereal diseases daily.
  • According to WHO, in 2016, 376 million people got infected with one of four sexual infections (chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis).
  • Being loyal to your sexual partner and using a condom is the best protection against STD infection. But only 24% of the male population wear a condom when they have sex.
  • 70% of patients with suspected STDs are eventually diagnosed with chlamydia.
  • In 97% of cases, syphilis is sexually transmitted. But the household transmission is also possible. The causative agent of the infection (pale spirochete) can live for several hours on a wet towel or washcloth.
  • 50% of the world's population has had a venereal disease at least once in their lives.

Have protected sex to avoid contracting STDs. If one in a couple was found to have a venereal disease, both partners need to get tested. Even if you have a regular sexual partner and you use a condom, you still need to be checked. At least once a year. Better yet, two.

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