Harrisonburg Pregnancy Center

Abstinence: Sexually Transmitted Diseases

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the surest way to avoid pregnancy or any infection with a sexually transmitted disease is to practice sexual abstinence (abstain from any sexual contact) while single.

Before you think about having sex, it is important to consider these risks:

Your partner may not know he or she has an STD; 80% of those infected do not know their condition.
You can have an STD and have no symptoms for weeks, months, possibly years. STDs are contagious even though no symptoms exist.
Condoms do not provide complete protection from any STD or pregnancy. Infection can occur in both males and females whether or not a condom is used.

The Most Common STDs

STD	Symptoms		Damage
STD	Men	Women	Damage
Chlamydia	Usually none. Some experience discharge from the penis and burning with urination.	Called the "silent disease." Usually no symptoms. Some experience pain and/or vaginal discharge.	Men- Sterility. Women- Considered to be the most common cause of sterility. Advanced stage may require removal of uterus, tubes, and ovaries. Can cause PID (below).
Gonorrhea	Pus from urethra. Burning upon urination.	If symptoms occur at all, they include pelvic pain, painful urination and pus-like discharge.	Men- Sterility. Scarring of the urethra and urinary tract problems. Women- Sterility. Surgery in severe cases. Common cause of PID (below). Both- Can increase risk of HIV infection two to five times.
Syphillis	1st stage: swollen non-painful ulcers on external genitalia. 2nd stage: changes of skin, fever, enlarged lymph nodes.	1st stage: often unnoticed. 2nd stage: changes of skin, fever, enlarged lymph nodes	Men- Brain disorders, heart disease, blindness, dementia and death. Women- Same as men. Can cause birth defects or death in newborns if mother is infected. Both- can increase chance of HIV infection.
HIV/AIDS	Fever, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph glands. Must be tested, as symptoms mimic many other diseases	Fever, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph glands. Must be tested, as symptoms mimic many other diseases	Both- Continuous outbreaks. Eventually may lead to hospitalization. Lifetime medication required. Women- Causes infant death.
Genital Herpes	Lesions appear at the site of infection - periodic eruptions of painful blisters and ulcers anywhere on the body.	Lesions appear at the site of infection - periodic eruptions of painful blisters and ulcers anywhere on the body.	Both- Continuous outbreaks. Eventually may lead to hospitalization. Lifetime medication required. Women- Causes infant death.
HPV (human Papilloma virus)	Wart-like genital growths.	Often no visible symptoms. Some experience vulvar burning itching and pain. Abnormal pap smears.	Men- Cancer of the penis and anus. Women- Initially premalignant changes difficult to eradicate - Develops into cervical cancer if not treated.
Hepatitus B	Often none. Some experience yellowing of the skin (jaundice), tiredness, dark urine and grey-colored stools.	Often none. Some experience yellowing of the skin (jaundice), tiredness, dark urine and grey-colored stools.	Both- severe liver damage. Can eventually lead to cancer of the liver and cirrhosis. Death in 15-25% of chronically infected persons.
PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease)	This disease only affects women.	See Chlamydia and gonnorhea. Often symptoms are minor and mistaken for menstrual cramps. Chlamydia and gonorrhea may lead to PID.	Women- Ectopic Pregnancy (fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tubes instead of uterus). Can be life-threatening. Sterility and cancer common. Permanent damage to the reproductive organs.

The only sure way to avoid becoming infected with an STD while having sex is monogamy with an uninfected partner (i.e. marriage to a faithful spouse)