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PROTECT YOURSELF

 

 

Stay Safe

  • Nothaving sex is the best way to protect yourself from an STD. Having sex only with one uninfected partner who only has sex with you is also safe.

If you have sex

  • Use latex condoms with water base lubricant everytime you have vaginal, anal or oral sex. Condoms will help protect you from an STD much of the time. Both men and women should cary condoms.
  • Use plastic (polyrethane) condoms if you are allergic to latexx. Theses asome in both male and female styles.
  • Talk to your partner about past sex partners and about needle drug use. Don't have sex with someone who you think may have an STD.
  • Look closely at your partner for any signs of STD-- a rash, a sore or discharge. If you see anything you're worry about, don't have sex!

Take action

  • Get checked for STD regularly. Ask your health care provider to help you decide how often and wich test you should have.
  • Know the signs and symptoms of STD. If you notice a symptom that worries you, get checked!

If you have an STD

  • Tell your sex partner(s). Your partner must get tested and treated too. Otherwise he or she could give the STD to someone else or back to you.

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WHAT IS STD?

An STD (sexually transmithed desease) is an infection that is passed during sex.

 

STDs Are Serious

  • Some STDs infect only your sexual and reproductive organs. Others (HIV, hepatitis B, Syphylis) cause general body infections.
  • Sometimes you can have an STD with no signs or symptoms. Or the symptoms may go away. Either way, you have the STD until you get treated.

How STD is spread

  • STD is spread during vaginal, anal and oral sex, and sometimes by genital touching.
  • Some STDs (HIV, and hepatitis B) rae also spread by contact with infected blood.
  • STD germs need to live in warm, moist areas. That's why they infect the mouth, rectum and sex organs (vagina,vulva, penis and testes).

 

What to do

 

Get Checked

  • Don't just hope the STD will go away. It won't!
  • Most county health departments have special STD clinics. Private health care providers also treat STD.
  • If you don't know where to help, call your local family planning clinic for information. YOUR CASE WILL KEPT PRIVATE.
  • You may feel embarrassed about having an STD. It may be hard for you to go to a provider or clinic for help. But you must get treatment for the STD. This is the only way you will get well.

Get Treated

  • Many STDs can be cured. Others cannot be cured. But all STDs can and must be treated.
  • Many STDs can be treated with antibiotics. Do exactly what your provider tells you. Be sure to use all your medicine.
  • You also must tell your sexual partner(s). If they aren't treated, they can get sick. They can spread the STD. Thay may even give it to you again!

 


 
STDsWhat to watch forHow you get itIf you don't get treated
 Chlamydia or NGU
  •  Symptoms show up to 7-28 days after having sex.
  • chlamydia affects women and men. In men, Chlamidia can cause NGU.
  • Most women and some men have no symptoms.

WOMEN:                                                 

  • Discharge form the vagina.
  • Bleeding form the vagina between periods.
  • Burning or pain when you urinate.
  • Need to urinate more often.
  • Pain in abdomen, sometimes with fever and nausea.

MEN:

  • Watery, white drip from the penis.
  • Burning or pain when urinate.
  • need to urinate more often.
  • swollen or tender testicles.
  •  Spread during vaginal, anal,or oral sex with someone who has chlamydia.
  •  you can give chlamydia to your sex partner(s).
  • can lead to more serious infection.
  • reproductive organs can be damaged.
  • women and possibly men may no longer be able to have children.
  • a mother with chlamydia can give it to her baby during chidbirth.
 Genital warts (HPV)
  •  Symptoms show up 1-8 months after contactact with HPV, the virus that causes genital warts. (another type of HPV is linked to cervical cancer in women)
  • Many people with HPV have no symptoms.
  • Small, bumpy warts on the sex organs and anus.
  • Itching or burning around the sex organs.
  • after warts go away, the wirus sometimes stays in the body. The warts can come back.
  •  Spread during vaginal, anal or oral sex, and sometimes by genital touching, with someone who has genital warts.
  • You can give genital warms to your sex partner(s).
  • Warms may go away on their own, remain unchanged, or grow and spread.
  • A mother with warts can give them to her baby during childbirth.
  • You can have a type of HPV that's linked to cervical cancer.
 Gonorrhea
  •  Symptoms show up 2-21 days after having sex.
  • Most women and some men have no symptoms.

WOMEN:

  • Thick yellow or gray discharge from the vagina.
  • Burning or have a bowel movement.
  • Abnormal periods or bleeding between periods.
  • Cramps and pain in the lower abdomen (belly)

MEN:

  • Thick yellow or greenish drip from the penis.
  • Burning or pain when you urinate or have a bowel movement.
  • Need to urinate more often.
  • Swollen or tender testicles.
  •  Spread durning vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone  who has gonorrhea.
  •  You can give gonorrhea to your sex partner(s).
  • Can lead to more serious infection.

                   

 Hepatitis B
  •  Symptoms show up 1-9 months after contact with the hepatitis B virus.
  • Many people have no symptoms or mild symptoms.
  • Flu-like feelings that don't go away.
  • Tiredness.
  • Jaundice (yellow skin).
  • Dark urine, light-colored bowel movements.
  •  Spread during vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has hepatitis B.
  • Spread by sharing needles to inject drugs, or for any other reason.
  • Spread by contact with infected blood.

 

  •  You can give hepatiits B to your sex partner(s) or someone you share a needle with.
  • Some people recover completey.
  • Some people cannot be cured. Symptoms go away, but they can still give hepatitis B to others.
  • Can cause permanent liver damage or liver cancer.
  • A mother with hepatitis  B can give  it to her baby during  childbirth.

 

 Herpes
  •  Symptoms show up 1-30 days or longer after having  sex.
  • Some  people have no symptoms.
  • Flu-like feelings.
  • Small, painful blisters on the sex organs or mouth.
  • Itching or burning before the blisters appear.
  • Blisters last 1-3 weeks.
  • Blisters go away, but you still have herpes. Blisters can come back.
  •  Spread durning vaginal, anal or oral sex, and sometimes by gennital touchig, with someone who has herpes.
  •  You can give herpes to your sex partner(s).
  • Herpes cannot be cured.
  • A mmother with herpes can give it to her baby durning childbirth.
HIV/AIDS
  • Symptoms show up several months to several years after   contact with HIV, the virus that caused AIDS.
  • Can be present for many years with no symptoms.
  • Unexplained weight loss or tirednes.
  • Flu-like feelings that don't go away.               
  • Diarrhea.
  • White spots in mouth.
  • In women, yeast infections that don't go away.
  • Spread durning vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has HIV.
  • Spread by sharing needles to inject drugs, or for any other reason.
  • Spread by contact with infected blood.

 

  • You can give HIV tou your sex partner(s) or someone you share needle with.
  • HIV cannot be cured.Can cause illnes and death.
  • A mother with HIV can give it to her baby in the womb, durning birth or while breastfeeding.
Syphylis
  • 1st Stage:
  • Symptoms show up 1-12 weeks after having sex.
  • A painless sore or sores on the mouth or sex organs.
  • Sore last 2-6 weeks.
  • Sore goes away, but you still have syphilis.
  • 2nd Stage:
  • Symptoms show up as the sore heals or after.
  • A rash anywhere on body.
  • Flu-like feelings.
  • Rash and flu-like feelings go away, but you still have syphilis.
  • Spread durning vaginal, anal or oral sex , and sometimes by genital touching, with someone who has syphilis.

 

  • You can give  syphilis to you sex partner(s).
  • A mother with syphilis can give it to her baby durning pregnancy or have a miscarriage.
  • Can cause heart disease, brain damage, blindness and death.

 

Trichomoniasis ("Trich') or NGU
  •   Symptoms show up 3-14 days after having sex.
  • Affects both women and men. In men,trich can cause NGU.
  • Many people have so symptoms.
  • WOMEN:
  • Itching, burning or irritation in the vagina.
  • Yellow, greenish or gray               discharge from the vagina.
  • MEN:
  • Watery, white drip from the penis.
  • Burning or pain when you urinate.
  • Need to urinate more often.         
  • Spread durning vaginal sex.

 

  • You can give trich to your sex partner(s).
  • Uncomfortable symptoms will continue.
  • Men can get infections in the prostate gland.