#15 Still Not 100% - While
it's important to wear a condom, understand that it merely reduces (but does
not completely remove) the risk of spreading an STD. It still gives you a much
higher chance of avoiding infection than not wearing one.
#14 Get Help - For those
suffering from chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, the good news is that they
are curable. The bad news is that if they are left untreated they can cause
infertility, chronic pain, birth defects, miscarriages and even death! An STD
can ruin your life and harm your family.
#13 Sigma Symbol for
Syphilis - In the late 1400s and early 1500s doctors were so afraid of syphilis
they refused to write down its name in fear something bad would happen to them
or their patients. They would instead use the Greek letter Sigma in place of
the word.
#12 Famously Infected - Al
Capone, the notorious gangster had syphilis and some believe it may have driven
him crazy. Some other famous people believed to have suffered from it include
Napoleon, Hernando Cortez, Benito Mussolini, Friedrich Nietzsche, Edourd Manet
and possibly, Adolph Hitler.
#11 Sterilization for Women
- For woman, a single chlamydia infection brings a 25% chance of sterility. If
she gets a second infection, it boosts it up to a 50% chance and a third
basically guarantees that she will not be able to get pregnant again. This is
because of PID (pelvic inflammatory disease)
#10 Oral Risks - Some may
think oral is safer, and for this reason it can actually be more dangerous in
spreading STDs. It is important to limit your partners to one, even in
performing oral.
#9 Look Out For Crabs - Crabs
(or pubic lice) are small parasites that feed on human blood. They can be
sexually transmitted even if there is no penetration or bodily fluid exchanged.
They can even be passed on if a condom is worn. They can live for 24 hours
after leaving a human host so it is possible to get crabs from infested bedding
or clothes.
#8 The Douching Myth - The
benefits of douching are greatly exagerated! Doing so before or after sex does
not protect against STDs as some claim. In fact, they may help promote an
infection after exposure to an STD because the good bacteria (which fights
infections) will have been cleared out.
#7 A Growing Concern - Teenagers
and young adults (between the ages of 18 to 24) represent only 25% of the
sexually active population. However the 15 to 24-year-old age bracket currently
accounts for nearly half of all sexually transmitted disease diagnoses each
year! The same study revealed that every day in America, 12,000 teenagers
contract a STD!
#6 Timing is Everything - Statistically,
a person that has sex for the first time at a younger age is more susceptible
to developing a STD. The risk also increases with the number of partners over a
longer span of time.
#5 The "Pull Out"
Myth - Pre-ejaculate can still transmit sperm and STDs, the 'pulling out'
method does not prevent pregnancy or infections. Use a condom instead.
#4 The Africa Epidemic - Because
of STDs like AIDS, rape has become an epidemic in Africa. This is largely due
to the belief that sex with a virgin can cure all sexually transmitted
diseases, but it only results in the further spread of it.
#3 Pregnancy Scare - Hey
ladies, remember when you used to worry so much about getting knocked up? Turns
out a woman is four times more likely to contract STDs than she is to become
pregnant! We're thinking it's probably time to start doing a little more than
just going on the pill!
#2 A Friendly Greeting - Got
diagnosed with an STD and don't know how to break it to your partner? Don't
worry, there's a website where people can send their partners e-cards informing
them they've been diagnosed with an STD! You can even throw in a custom
message!
#1 Easy to Catch - Right
now, one in five Americans have genital herpes. However, nearly 90% of those
are unaware they have it until being tested after it has been spread. Some
studies show that by 2025 as much as 40% of men and 50% of all women could be
infected.
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