When you’re sexually active, pregnancy is usually the biggest concern. The teenage years are the most fertile time to get pregnant where the percentage is the highest. During the right time of month (around the time of ovulation), the percentage can be as high as 80%. The older you get the percentage becomes lower and lower.

While pregnancy is a concern especially if you are not on birth control or using protection, STDs are equally a concern. Unlike pregnancy where there are certain times of the month where you cannot get pregnant, you can get a STD anytime you have sexual intercourse even with protection.

What is a STD?

STD stands for sexually transmitted disease and there are more than a dozen of STDs that some can be chronic and be a life-time infection. More and more new infections are diagnosed every year with over half occur in people who are between the ages of 15-24.

STD is a disease where it is passed on during sexual activity (vaginal, oral, anal, outer course) and can be transmitted through bodily fluids and in some cases on skin to skin contact.

Some infections may have signs or symptoms while others may not; there are some people who have no idea they have an STD and can be passed on without even realizing it.

STD vs. STI

STD (sexually transmitted disease) and STI (sexually transmitted infection) are sometimes used interchangeably but the difference is that a STI is an infection in the body that may have symptoms or not while STD is a disease where the infection causes harm to the body that may or may not show signs or symptoms.

All STDs are STIs, but not all STIs become STDs.

Prevention

Condoms can help to not contract or transmit a STD but they are not 100% and people can still contract the infection or disease.  There are some vaccinations for some STDs but not all have a vaccine.

The only way to not contract the STD is to not have sex.

Treatment

Some STDs can be treated by medicine especially if detected early while others will stay with you the rest of your life. Some that are not treatable can be managed.

Get tested to see if you have an STD; it is easy and harmless; it is worth it to know so you can get treated and to not spread it.

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