Let’s Talk About STD’s

Sexually transmitted diseases, particularly gonorrhea and HPV, are common infections that arise as a result of sexual contact. This includes vaginal, oral, and anal sex. If left untreated, STD’s can result in cancer, infertility, and other unfortunate consequences. According to the CDC, Gonorrhea often is asymptomatic and presents itself differently in men and women. If left untreated, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease in women and epididymitis in men. This can result in infertility and other complications. Although it is usually treatable, gonorrhea has increasingly become resistant to antibiotics. As a result, it is considered an urgent threat to the public’s health. According to another article from the CDC, there is now only one antibiotic that can cure Gonorrhea in the United States. Although in the 1980’s the CDC launched the Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP), new research and initiatives have been implemented in order to combat resistance. In order to prevent resistance, it is important for people to either abstain from sex or use proper protection like condoms. In addition, routine testing for STD’s help to catch this common infection, aiding in early treatment and decreased resistance.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is an incredibly common STD that can give rise to cancer in both men and women. There is a vaccine, commonly known as Gardasil, that prevents everal types of HPV from arising. According to an article in the Lancet, this life-saving vaccine could potentially eliminate all cervical cancers. Scientists hope to eliminate cervical cancer by 2046, which is in our lifetime! However, there remain obstacles to achieving this medical feat. Many parents object to the vaccine because they believe it may lead their children to become sexually active. However, there is no link between the vaccine and the likeliness of kids engaging in early sexual behavior. Therefore, it is important to follow the CDC’s recommendations to receive this vaccine in order to help stop a type of cancer.

STDs remain a touchy subject because of the way humans contract them. However, I think it is important to normalize discussions about them with your healthcare provider and partner in order to make sure you are doing your part to avoid contracting them and spreading them to others. I believe that no matter your opinion on sex and whether a person should wait until marriage, it is so important to be educated on how STD’s are contracted so when you do decide to have sex, you can be fully informed. There are many ways to prevent them like the HPV vaccine, condoms, abstinence, and monogamy. If one has honest, open conversations with their healthcare provider and becomes fully informed, then STDs can be prevented, and antibiotic resistance and cancers can become lessened.