Most Common Sexually Transmitted Infections in Women

Impact of sexually transmitted infections on women health:

Stis are sexually transmitted infections that are globally becoming more common. Every year millions of stis are passed from person to person primarily through sexual contact. This is undoubtedly because more and more people are having sex, often with different partners, and aren't taking the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections.

There are so many different types of diseases that can be spread by touching, oral sex, penetrative sex, sharing needles or even through child birth, so you need to be so careful when having sex that you avoid ever contracting this type of disease. Most stis are curable with medication; however some, like hiv, can never be cured. Additionally, not all stis carry noticeable symptoms so you could have a sexually transmitted infection and not even know you've got it. This is why it's so crucial to get yourself checked out at a sexual health clinic if you are sexually active, to make sure that you don't have any nasty infections.

Transmission

The organisms that cause the diseases usually enter the body through open membranes, such as the vagina, anus or mouth. Stis can be caught through intimate contact with someone, especially through anal, vaginal or oral sex, however some are also transmitted without sexual activity.

Common stis

Chlamydia: an extremely common and fast spreading sexually transmitted infection. Unfortunately, many people (especially females) have no symptoms at all, so it's often difficult to detect. Men often experience more symptoms than women, however this is not always the case. Chlamydia is particularly dangerous if left untreated as it can cause infertility in women, so it's so important to get yourself checked even if you haven't experience any symptoms.

Gonorrhoea: gonorrhoea is caused by a bacterium that grows and multiplies very quickly in moist areas of the body  such as the cervix, urethra, mouth or rectum. For women, the cervix is the most common site of infection. The disease can also spread to the fallopian tubes in a woman and other genital organs, which can cause conditions such as pelvic inflammatory disease that may also lead to infertility. It is most commonly spread through genital contact, however it can also be passed through oral sex and if a mother is infected she can easily pass it to her new-born infant during delivery.

Genital herpes: genital herpes is a highly contagious condition caused by the herpes virus. It infects the skin and membranes around the genitals, but it can also appear around the mouth, especially on the lips. It is transmitted generally through physical or sexual contact. Often you can have the virus, but not show symptoms. Symptoms usually include spots around your genitals or mouth.

Hiv and aids: aids is a potentially lethal disease that is caused by the hiv virus. Hiv invades and destroys the immune system, which protects the body from infection. This means that a person who carries the hiv virus is easily prone to catch many different illnesses, and may die from diseases that are harmless to healthy people, such as a cold or a cough. Hiv can be transmitted not only through sexual activity, but also by sharing needles or having blood contact with someone who has the disease.

Genital warts- warts are caused by the hpv virus, and are often not detected straight after you have transmitted the disease. Many months can pass from the time of infection to the actual development of warts, so it may be very difficult to determine whom you got them from. They can easily be treated by cream from the doctor.

Syphilis: if left untreated, syphilis is a dangerous and life-threatening disease. It is passed on through intercourse and almost all other forms of sexual interaction, including anal sex. The first symptom often appears between 9-90 days after exposure to the germ that causes it, and a small lump develops at the site of infection that soon breaks down to form an ulcer; usually painless. There is a secondary stage (characterised by fever, rashes and throat ulcers) and a tertiary stage, in which the germ may attack the brain and other organs and may cause death.

In order to avoid catching a sexually transmitted disease, there are a few things to bear in mind:

    The fewer sexual partners you have, the lower your risk of infection;
    Most sexually transmitted diseases can be avoided by practicing safe sex (using condoms);
    You should avoid from having casual sex, as this increases your risk of coming into contact with an sti;

Both you and your partner should always get tested at a sexual health clinic before engaging in condom-free sex (using the pill is only a preventative against pregnancies); there is nothing wrong with getting tested at a sexual health clinic, as it's always better to be safe than sorry.