Know the Facts
Sexually Transmitted diseases, also known as Sexually Transmitted Infections, are serious diseases that infect millions of people. More than half of all people will contract an STD/STI at some point in their lifetime. The American Sexual Health Association states, "With more than 50 million adults in the U.S. with genital herpes, and up to 776,000 new infections each year, some estimates suggest that by 2025 up to 40% of all men and half of all women could be infected" ("American Sexual Health Association" N.P.).
- In a national survey of U.S. physicians, less than one-third of them regularly tested patients for STD's/STI's
- Estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Infection show that there are 19.7 million new STI's each year in the United States ("American Sexual Health Association" N.P.).
- In women, some diseases will spread to the uterus and Fallopian tubes. This causes Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), which is a cause of infertility and tubal pregnancy.
- STD's can be passed from a mother to her infant before or during birth.
- STD's in women could also be associated with cervical cancer ("Illinois Department of Public Health" N.P.).