ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STDs/STIs
(and a bit more you might be curious about)
Preventing and Treating STDs/STIs
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infectious diseases that spread from person to person through intimate contact. Unfortunately, STDs (sometimes also called STIs for “sexually transmitted infections”) have become common among teens. Because teens are more at risk for getting some STDs, it’s important to learn what you can do to protect yourself.
As with many other diseases, prevention is key. It’s much easier to prevent STDs than to treat them. The only way to completely prevent STDs is to abstain from all types of sexual contact. If someone is going to have sex, the best way to reduce the chance of getting an STD is by using a condom every time (or a dental dam when a girl is receiving oral sex).
People who are considering having sex should get regular gynecological or male genital examinations. There are two reasons for this. First, these exams give doctors a chance to teach people about STDs and protecting themselves. And second, regular exams give doctors more opportunities to check for STDs while they’re still in their earliest, most treatable stage.
amber’s story
My Name is Amber.
I’m seventeen, and I have this STD called syphilis. I know what you’re thinking—I’m just some stupid teenage girl who had stupid unprotected sex. That’s not how it is, really. About 2 months ago, I had sex for the first time. It was with Sean, my boyfriend, someone who I had known for a long time, and someone who I trusted. Before it happened, we talked about everything. We were ready and knew that we’d be together for a lot more time to come. I was on the pill, but Sean and I even talked about the chances of pregnancy. What we didn’t discuss though, was the risk of sexually transmitted diseases.