What
Is The Cause?
The answer is simple: increased sexual mixing of the population. As more
and more people have multiple sexual partners, the inevitable result is an
acceleration in the spread of STDs.
The problem is compounded by the fact that 80% of the persons infected
have no noticeable symptoms and, therefore, cannot know they are contagious.
What does that mean to you?
Unfortunately, STDs are not equal opportunity diseases. Adolescents have
a higher degree of susceptibility than do older people. The ectropion of the
cervix of a female teenager is more likely to become infected than that of
a woman in her 20's. Indeed, researchers have estimated that a
sexually active 15 year old has a 1 in 8 chance of developing pelvic inflammatory
disease (PID), but that by age 24 the probability has decreased to
1 in 80. PID is the most rapidly increasing cause of infertility in the United
States and is a primary reason for the 600% increase in ectopic (tubule) pregnancies
since 1970. (*Tubule pregnancies are those when a fetus begins
to grow in the fallopian tubes rather than the uterus. This condition
can be life threatening)
Medical
Science Is Not The Answer
While medical science has made great advances, it is clearly not the solution
to the STD epidemic. The development of a cure does not guarantee an end to
the problem. Syphilis is easily cured in its early stages, but the number
of people with syphilis in our country is at much higher levels than at the
end of World War II. Chlamydia and gonorrhea can be "cured" with
antibiotics, but can leave scars which often require future treatment and
may cause infertility. A vaccine for herpes has been rumored for years, but
has not yet been produced. A cure, or vaccine, for the highly complex HIV
virus is probably many years away at best.
Condoms Are Not The Solution
First and Foremost
- condoms only help during sexual intercourse...
Condoms Do Nothing For Sexual Contact With Genitals and/or Oral Sex
You touch someone's genitals and then you
touch a part of your body that produces mucus...
You can get the STD they are carrying.
Although
condoms have been associated with the safe sex message, they are highly criticized
by the medical profession. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
has referred to them as an "antiquated system of birth control."
They have a poor record for prevention of pregnancy, with failure rates of
up to 13% or more per year.
Scientific evidence demonstrates that condoms are equally poor in preventing
the transmission of STDs. The best studies show that they only reduce the
risk of contracting an STD by 69% and they have a 31% failure rate in preventing
HIV transmission.
Experts
agree that condoms are useless in the prevention of some diseases.
One such
disease is human papillomavirus (HPV), which infects over 40% of some groups
and which is the main virus for the vast majority of cancers of the cervix,
vulva, vagina, and penis. Several
studies have shown that condoms do not protect against this virus.
Different studies show different failure rates, but you must consider
your own risk tolerance, relying on condoms over several years of your sexual
experimentation and activity. Whatever the failure rate for one sexual act
with a condom is, it is huge when compounded over 5 to 10 years using condoms.
The statistics are not in your favor.
Reduce Your Risk of Getting an STD!
Postponing Sex Is The Only Solution
or
Stopping Your Risk Behavior Now!
Postponing sexual activity until marriage with an uninfected mate is the
only way for you to be 100% sure of avoiding STD infection and pregnancy.
Delaying sex until marriage is the most medically sound advice we can give
people in today's environment.
We know that the pressures can be hard. At ChoiceOne, the counselors
have felt the pressures you are feeling. They have great ways of helping you
make the choice to delay sex. If you have already had sex and would
like to reduce your risk of a pregnancy or an STD, come in and speak to a
counselor about how to change your life. Your counselor will help you
with your relationship issues and all the other pressures you may be feeling.
How Many STDs Are There?
According to the Centers for Disease Control (1993) there are 12 million
cases of sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases reported annually.
What Are The Medical Consequences To STDs?
ECTOPIC PREGNANCY
Ectopic pregnancy is the implantation of a fertilized ovum outside the
uterine cavity. This potentially life-threatening condition
occurs most often in the fallopian tubes. Among the symptoms:
sudden persitent pain in the lower abdomen
bleeding and abdominal pain after a missed or light period
persistent fainting or dizziness (could signal internal bleeding)
Ectopic pregnancy is more likely to occur if a woman has had a pelvic infection,
a previous ectopic pregnancy, surgical abortion, or has become pregnant with
an IUD in place.
PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a general term for a bacterial infection
in the female pelvic organs. Specific types of PID include salpingitis (infection
of the fallopian tubes), endometritis (infection of the uterine lining), and
cophoritis (infection of the ovaries).
Symptoms of PID include:
persistent cramps
pain during or after sexual intercourse
temperature of 102 - 104 degrees F
unusual vaginal bleeding or foul smelling discharge
tenderness in the lower abdomen
chills
Prompt treatment of PID is important. Infection of the fallopian tubes
may lead to scarring and adhesions (bands of scar tissue) that can obstruct
the tubes, causing infertility. Over one in twelve women are left infertile
after a first episode of PID, one in five are infertile after a second episode,
and 40% are left sterile after three or more episodes of PID.
CERVICAL CANCER
Cervical cancer occurs when cells on the cervix grow in an abnormal
way. It is important to have regular Pap tests to check for this condition
as it can be fatal.
Symptoms of cervical cancer:
Abnormal bleeding, such as between periods or after intercourse
Foul smelling vaginal discharge
Discomfort during intercourse
Risk factors include:
Early onset of intercourse, women who begin having sex before age 20 are more
vulnerable to cell changes.
Three or more sexual partners in one's lifetime. The greater the number of
sexual partners, the greater the risk of acquiring a high risk type of HPV.
Having a male sex partner who has had other partners, especially if a previous
partner had cervical cancer.
History of Genital Warts which are caused by the HPV virus.
What
Should I Do If I Think I Have An STD?
If you think you may have an STD or any of the conditions listed above, contact
us right away. Waiting will not solve the problem but it could get worse if
left untreated.
STD information and statistics from Pregnancy Resource Center, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 and www.unspeakable.com
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