Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Your Body
Any time a person has a sexual contact with a partner, there is a chance of contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Condoms and other barrier methods may help reduce the risk of contracting an STD, but these methods are only risk reduction, not risk elimination. Many STDs show no signs or symptoms. Therefore, it is important to be tested regularly. How regularly you should be tested depends on your sexual behaviors and other risk factors.
Could I Have an STD?
If a person is sexually active, they are at risk for a sexually transmitted disease. If you have had sex but have no signs or symptoms, you could still have an STD and you can still transmit it to your partner(s). Some STDs are curable if they are caught early and have no long-term effects. But if left untreated, many STDs can cause damage which can be permanent. This is one reason why testing and early detection is important.
How Do I Prevent an STD?
If you are engaging in any type of sexual activity, you are at risk for a sexually transmitted disease. Condoms and other barrier methods are risk reduction, not risk elimination. Abstinence is the only way to ensure you don’t contract an STD. This means not engaging in vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
What If I Tested Positive for an STD?
Some STDs are curable with medications or other treatment methods. Talk to a medical professional and begin a treatment plan. Do not engage in any type of sexual activity until cleared by your doctor to make sure you do not pass an STD to your partner(s). There is help, hope, and healing after an STD. Call us today to talk with a peer consultant confidentially, without shame or judgment.
Who Should Be Tested for a Sexually Transmitted Disease?
Anyone, regardless of age, who has engaged in any type of sexual activity with a partner(s) should be tested.
Is It Possible My Partner Lied to Me About Having an STD?
People can and do lie about their STD status or sexual history. Getting to know your partner before engaging in sexual activity does not guarantee they have shared all of their sexual health history with you. You are at risk any time you engage in sexual activity with an infected partner(s).
My Partner Told Me They Have an STD. Should I Be Tested?
If you have engaged in any type of sexual activity with someone who is infected with an STD, you should stop all sexual contact and seek testing immediately.
What should I do next?
It is estimated that about 20 percent of the United States population – approximately one in five people in the U.S. – has an STD. We are here to offer help and hope. At we can offer you or refer you for STD testing in your area and give you guidance and support no matter your test result. Getting tested for STDs is easy and harmless. Contact us today for confidential help and support.
STD Testing – What’s Right for You? Mayo Clinic Website: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sexually-transmitted-diseases-stds/in-depth/std-testing/art-20046019. Last modified September 16, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Data and Statistics. Center for Disease Control and Prevention Website: https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/default.htm. Last Modified December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
Sexually Transmitted Infections Prevalence, Incidence, and Cost Estimates in the United States
Website: https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/prevalence-2020-at-a-glance.htm Last Modified January 25, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.