SEX AND HEALTH > Sexually Transmitted Diseases

An empowered woman knows the importance of sexual health.

"We face a serious public health challenge regarding the sexual health of our nation...doing nothing is unacceptable. If we are to meet this challenge, we must find common ground and reach consensus on the nature of these problems and their possible solutions, consistent with the best available science. " - Surgeon General David Satcher, June 28, 2001.

"In the United States, more than 65 million people are currently living with an incurable STD. An additional 15 million people become infected each year." -Centers for Disease Control

Statistics

• 1 in 5 Americans has been infected with an STD (American Social Health Association).
  Sexually active adolescent girls have the highest risk of cervical infections (Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1994).
• PID or Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is the most rapidly increasing cause of infertility in the United States (The Medical Institute).
• In 1999, reports indicated that strains of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) were present in 99% of samples tested for cervical cancer. It is estimated that 75% of sexually active Americans are or have previously been infected with HPV (The Medical Institute).

Screening

The Center for Disease Control recommends screening whenever you are exposed to a new sexual partner.

Prevention

Abstaining from sex is the only way to be 100 percent confident of avoiding STD infection.

Prevention through avoiding exposure is the best strategy for controlling the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Proper use of condoms with each act of sexual intercourse can reduce, but not eliminate, risk of STDs. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention)