Questions And Answers About Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

From TeenHealthCentre.com

STD
Questions And Answers About Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
By Teen Health Centre
Nov 1, 2004, 16:34

Questions And Answers About
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

FAQ: What are Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)?

Infections most often transmitted through sex (oral, vaginal, or anal).
Bacteria or viruses that cause most STDs are usually found in blood, semen, vaginal secretions and other body fluids.
The most common STDs are chlamydia and genital warts (Human Papilloma Virus).
The most deadly STD is HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus ) or AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).

FAQ: How Do You Get An STD?

STDs are usually spread through unprotected sex (oral, vaginal, or anal).
STDs can also be spread from mom to baby during pregnancy or birth.
STDs such as HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis are spread through unprotected sex, as well as, sharing contaminated needles or syringes (eg. drug injections, tattooing, body piercing).

FAQ: Who’s At Risk For STDs?

FAQ: How Can I Protect Myself?

Only abstinence provides 100% protection.
Using latex condoms and limiting number of partners are the next best thing.
But even condoms offer limited protection against herpes and genital warts.
Also crabs or scabies can be transmitted through regular skin-to-skin contact and not just sex.

FAQ: How Can I Tell If Someone Has An STD?

YOU CANNOT – some people with STDs have NO SYMPTOMS – even they don’t know they are infected!!!!!
Only a medical test can tell you for sure if you are infected.

FAQ: I THINK I HAVE AN STD. WHAT DO I DO?

Some STDs have NO SYMPTOMS – you would never know you had an STD unless you had a medical check-up.

If you have taken chances, such as having sex without a latex condom please contact your family doctor or Teen Health Centre 253-8481 (ext. 223).

More About Different STDs

www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpb/lcdc/publicat/stdmts/index.html

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