Sex & Health

Sexuality is an integral part of our being. What are you doing to educate yourself?

“We face a serious public health challenge regarding the sexual health of our nation….doing nothing is unacceptable. If we are to meet this challenge, we must find common ground and reach consensus on the nature of these problems and their possible solutions, consistent with the best available science.”
-Surgeon General David Satcher, June 28, 2001

“In the United States, more than 65 million people are currently living with an incurable STD. An additional 15 million people become infected each year.”
-Center for Disease Control

Fact:*

• 12 million Americans are infected each year with a sexually transmitted disease.
• 800,000 to 900,000 Americans are living with HIV, with one-third of them unaware that they are even infected.
• Unintended pregnancy accounts for nearly one-half of all pregnancies in the United States.
• An estimated 1.36 million abortions were performed in 1996.

* Statistics from The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Promote Sexual Health and Responsible Sexual Behavior, June 2001.

History of STDs

Pre 1960′s: Syphilis and Gonorrhea were the only major STDs
1976: Chlamydia first recognized
1981: AIDS identified
1982: Herpes became very prevalent
1992: PID or Pelvic Inflammatory Disease recognized
1996: HPV or Human Papilloma Virus recognized as the cause of 90% of all cervical cancer, and is the reason for yearly PAP smears.
1980-present: 8 NEW diseases identified including HIV

* It is important to note that this is not just a case of medical science diagnosing what has existed all along. These are NEW diseases, caused by sexual activity with multiple partners. Viruses continue to mutate and multiply, all the while becoming more resistant to treatment.

Statistics

• 1 in 5 Americans has been infected with an STD (American Social Health Association).
• The fastest growing population contracting AIDS is women. In 1985, 7% of AIDS cases reported were women. That percentage increased to 14% in 1992, and to 23% in 1999 (AIDS.ORG).
• Sexually active adolescent girls have the highest risk of cervical infections because the ectropion, or delicate tissue that surrounds a young woman’s cervix, is not fully formed until she is 18 years old. It is, therefore, very vulnerable to blood borne infections (Alan Gutmacher Institute, 1994).
• Approximately 2/3 of all people who acquire STDs are under 25 (American Social Health Association).
• PID or Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is the most rapidly increasing cause of infertility in the United States. Researchers have estimated that a sexually active 15-year-old has a 1 in 8 chance of developing PID. By the age of 24, the probability decreases to 1 in 80 (The Medical Institute).
• There are presently more than 25 significant STDs (Center for Disease Control).
  In the United States, more than 65 million people are currently living with an incurable STD. An additional 15 million people become infected each year (ibid).
• In 1999, reports indicated that strains of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) were present in 99% of samples tested for cervical cancer. It is estimated that 75% of sexually active Americans are or have previously been infected with HPV (The Medical Institute).
• While almost all STDs can be treated to relieve pain or minimize symptoms, there is no cure for viral STDs, including Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and Herpes (ibid).

The Most Common Sexually Transmitted Diseases

There are over 30 common STDs. To see a chart of the most common including symptoms, damage and current number of people infected, scroll to the bottom of the page.

Prevention

Abstaining from sex is the only way to be 100 percent confident of avoiding STD infection.
Prevention through avoiding exposure is the best strategy for controlling the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Proper use of condoms with each act of sexual intercourse can reduce, but not eliminate, risk of STDs. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

Condoms provide the best (though not complete) protection against HIV and Gonorrhea. They are less effective protecting against Herpes type 2 and Chlamydia. Condoms provide little protection against bacterial vaginosis and HPV (the most common STD).
(Cates, W. Jr & Stone, K.M. (1992, March/April). Family Planning, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Contraceptive Choice: A Literature Update- Part I. Family Planning Perspectives, 24(2), 75-84)

Condoms must be used consistently and correctly each time to protect against infection.

Sexual Exposure Chart

Common STDs Chart

STD	Symptoms	Damage	Numbers
Chlamydia	For women: Usually none. May experience vaginal discharge, burning with urination, lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during intercourse & bleeding between menstrual periods. For men: Usually none. May experience discharge from the penis, burning with urination, burning or itching around the opening to the penis or pain & swelling of the testicles. burning or itching around the opening to the penis or pain & swelling of the testicles.	In women: Considered to be the most common cause of sterility. Advanced stages may require removal of uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. May cause chronic pelvic pain and/or fatal ectopic pregnancies. * If left untreated in women, Chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) – see below. In men: Urethral infection and/or sterility	3 million new cases reported annually. 3/4 of women and 1/2 of men infected may be have no symptoms and therefore not seek help until it has caused major damage. By age 30, 50% of sexually active women have evidence that they have had Chlamydia at some time during their lives. 1 in 10 adolescent girls tested is infected.
Gonorrhea	For women: Yellow or bloody vaginal discharge. Burning with urination. For men: Yellowish white discharged from penis. Burning with urination. Swollen or painful testicles	In women: Sterility. May require surgery in severe cases. Can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) – see below. In men: Sterility. Scarring of urethra and urinary tract problems.	650,000 people are infected annually. 75% of all reported gonorrhea is found in persons aged 15- 29 years. Highest rates of infection are found in 15-19 yr. old women and 20-24 yr. old men.
Syphilis	For women: First stage includes swollen, non-painful sores (called chancres) where the infection entered the body. The ulcers may go unnoticed if they are inside her body. Second stage includes rash, fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and tiredness. Third stage includes loss of coordination, paralysis, numbness, gradual blindness, dementia, and possible death. For men: First, second and third stages are the same as women.	In women: Mental handicaps, heart disease, blindness, dementia and death. Can cause birth defects or death in infant if mother is infected. In men: Same as women.	35,600 new cases were reported in 1999, including 6,650 cases of primary & secondary syphilis. In 1999, syphilis occurred primarily in persons aged 20- 39. Reported rates of syphilis were 1.5 times greater in men than women in 1999. The racial or ethnic distribution of syphilis in 1999 was: African Americans 78%, Whites 16%, Hispanics 8%, and others 1%
HIV/AIDS	For women: Fever, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph glands. For men: Same as women.	In women: Immune system breaks down. Death. May infect unborn children. In men: Same as women.	Approximately 800,000-900,000 people are infected with HIV (including people who have AIDS and those who do not yet know that they are infected).
Genital Herpes	For women: Painful ulcers appear at site of infection. Periodic eruptions of these ulcers anywhere on the body. Pain during sex. Fever and swollen glands. Initial outbreak considered to be extremely painful. For men: Same as women.	In women: Continuous outbreaks. Lifelong treatment required. Causes potentially fatal infections in infants if mother is shedding virus at the time of delivery. In men: Same as women.	45 million currently infected. 20% of the sexually active population has this disease. Genital Herpes is more common in women (approximately one out of four women) than in men (almost one out of five).
HPV Human Papilloma-Virus	For women: Genital warts that sometimes form cauliflower shape. Many do not experience noticeable symptoms. May have vulvar itching and pain. Usually detected through abnormal Pap smears. For men: Genital warts similar to those in women.	In women: Requires painful and expensive treatment to remove pre-cancerous warts. In men: Cancer of penis and anus.	Approximately 20 million people are currently infected. 50-75% of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV at some point in their lives. About 5.5 million Americans get a new genital HPV infection each year. 90% of cervical cancer cases began with HPV.
Hepatitis B	For women: Often none. May Experience jaundice (skin turns yellow), fatigue, dark urine, gray-colored stools, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, And/or joint pain. For men: Same as women.	In women: Severe liver damage. May lead to cancer of liver and cirrhosis. In men: Same as women.	80,000 new infections were reported in 1999 The highest rate of disease occurs in 20-49 year olds. Approximately 1.25 million chronically infected Americans.
PID Pelvic Inflammatory Disease	For women: Lower abdominal pain that is often mistaken for menstrual cramps. Fever, unusual vaginal discharge, painful intercourse, painful urination & irregular menstrual bleeding. For men: None. This disease only affects women but may be caused by infections carried by men.	For women: Ectopic (tubal) pregnancy. Infertility. Cancer. Can be life-threatening. For men: None.	1 million new cases reported annually. More than 100,000 women become infertile each year as a result of PID. About 1/5 of women with PID become infertile. 10-80% of women with either Chlamydia or gonorrhea develop PID as a result. PID goes unrecognized by both women and their health care providers 2/3 of the time.