• Sexually Transmitted Infections


• Abstinence


• How to Have the Best Sex


• Abstinence Education

Women Have More to Lose!

Once successfully treated with penicillin, gonorrhea today has become more and more resistant to cure. Even though gonorrhea can cause pelvic pain and painful urination, in the early stages eighty percent of infected women are unaware that they have this sexually transmitted infection. If left untreated, gonorrhea can lead to sterility in both men and women.

At one time penicillin was a miracle drug for this infection. However, syphilis has made a comeback and now is more resistant to antibiotic treatment. Syphilis has two stages. For men, they experience swollen, but not painful ulcers on their genitalia during the first stage. Women in the first stage of the infection, may experience no symptoms at all. However, during the second stage both sexes notice changes in their skin and enlarged lymph nodes. Brain and heart disorders, blindness, and death can occur in both sexes. Women may pass the infection to their children resulting in birth defects or death of the newborn.

Although there may be discharge from the penis or vagina, usually both sexes experience no symptoms with chlamydia. Seventy percent of those infected are unaware of their condition. Chlamydia is the primary cause of sterility in women (this is also a common result for men) and may lead to the removal of the fallopian tubes, uterus, and ovaries.

The following STIs are viruses. Although there are drugs available to treat symptom outbreaks no cure has ever been found for ANY virus, including the common cold.

Painful blisters are associated with this sexually transmitted infection. These blisters come and go periodically in both men and women. Children born to infected mothers can die or suffer from serious birth defects.

This virus is the cause of over 90% of all cervical cancer today. Human Papilloma Virus, otherwise known as HPV, shows up as genital growths (warts) in men, but rarely are there visible signs in women. However, women may experience burning, itching, pain and/or abnormal pap smears. HPV is primarily spread by skin to skin contact with an infected person or by contact with body fluids contaminated by the virus.

This is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. It can cause liver damage which can then lead to cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer. Jaundice, tiredness, dark urine and gray-colored stool are symptomatic of Hepatitis B.

Otherwise known as PID, this sexually transmitted infection affects women only. Those infected with PID may have no symptoms, they may experience discharge from the vagina, or there may be painful urination or pelvic pain. PID is frequently mistaken for menstrual cramps. PID is a leading cause of infertility. Ectopic pregnancies and cancer are common results of this infection.

Fever, sore throat, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes are symptoms of this infection. Those who are infected with HIV experience a breakdown in their immune system. Currently, no cure has been discovered for this infection.

Think oral sex is harmless? Think again. You might think oral sex is no big deal because "it's not really sex." Don't kid yourself. It is sex and it is not safe. While you can't get pregnant from oral sex, you can get infected with STIs.

Physical Risks
Some of the STIs you can get infected with include syphilis, gonorrhea (which can infect your throat); genital herpes (which causes painful blisters) and HIV (which can kill you). You may also be able to get HPV (which can cause cancer) and chlamydia. Oral sex can also increase a woman's risk of having multiple yeast infections. Not exactly harmless or fun!

Please Note: A review of these infections shows that women frequently have more to lose when engaging in casual sex than men do. The consequences of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection are oftentimes greater for women than men. Though certainly not an infection, unexpected pregnancy also demands more physically from a woman than from a man.