HEALTHY LIFE VS SEX LIFE

WHAT IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF STD?

Women suffer more frequent and serious health complications from STDs than men do. And by the time women notice symptoms or see a doctor, complications from the untreated infection may already have jeopardized their health.

STDs can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), cervical cancer, liver disease, and infertility. Some can be passed from mother to baby before, during or after birth. Pregnant women with STDs are also at a higher risk for tubal pregnancies, miscarriages and premature delivery. In a worst-case scenario, untreated syphilis can lead to death in women.

HEALTHY LIFE VS SEX LIFE

MAJORITY OF STD ARE ASYMPTOMATIC

Since certain diseases have no visible symptoms, you may not know that you or your partner has been infected. Chlamydia, for example, is especially asymptomatic. Likewise, it can take up to 10 years or more for women to develop the symptoms of HIV. The time it takes for an STD to appear depends on the type of STD contracted.

STD symptoms are often similar to those caused by other infections, so it’s easy to mistake them for conditions like yeast infections or urinary tract infections. Remember: You don’t need to see an STD’s symptoms for it to be contagious.

Because many STD are asymptomatic and women don’t get treated, it’s hard to know how many people become infected each year.

HEALTHY LIFE VS SEX LIFE

ARE STD CURABLE?

All STD are treatable but not all are curable.

Bacterial STD like chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis can be cured. Viral STDs like herpes, hepatitis B, HIV, HPV, and genital warts are incurable, though they can be managed.

Living with a sexually transmitted disease affects not only your physical health, it affects you emotionally, too. It can also take a toll on your romantic relationships.

If you have an STD, tell any potential partners before having sexual contact with them. Be straightforward and honest. In some states, it’s a criminal offense if you don’t! And before you have sex with a new partner, you should both get tested.