August 19, 2016

Types of STDs (STIs) for Women

Common Types of STDs (STIs) for Women

Types of STDs (STIs) for Women

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be transferred from one person to another through a sexual contact, such as kissing, using sexual toys or oral-genital contact.

Both men and women can get infected. In women, the most common types of STDs (STIs) are the following:

Chlamydia

The causative agent of this infection is Chlamydia trachomatis. How it spreads and the symptoms it produces are almost similar to gonorrhea. It affects approximately 4 million women.

The bacterium that causes this infection is found in the urethra and cervix. It can also thrive in the rectum or throat.

Unfortunately, infected women lack the symptoms of this infection. For that reason, they can easily transmit it to others without them knowing it.

Most women with this infection don’t experience symptoms. However, the most common manifestation that you have it is the occurrence of an infection of your uterine cervix. You may also experience abdominal pain or vaginal discharge.

Chlamydiacan harm your fallopian tubes. If it’s left untreated, it can develop into pelvic inflammatory disease or PID. But because it’s common for women to have this infection without experiencing symptoms, the disease is often left untreated, which can result in the destruction of the fallopian tubes. It can also cause fertility problems and tubal pregnancy.

Gonorrhea

It’s a bacterial infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhea. Just like Chlamydia, this virus is spread through sexual contact.

It’s estimated that more than one million women are infected with this bacteria. Some of these infected women may also be infected with Chlamydia.

This infection can’t be transmitted through door handles and toilet seats. So, don’t worry about using public toilets, a common myth we here everywhere, including in Fresno and Bakersfield.

The causative agent of this infection requires a specific condition to grow and reproduce. It can’t live outside your body for more than a few minutes. It can’t also thrive on the skin, arms and legs. But it can survive on moist surfaces in your body, like in your vagina and cervix. Read more at the Gonorrhea CDC Fact Sheet.

HPV

It’s considered as the most common types of STDs (STIs) in the US. Experts believed that at least 75 percent of the population is infected with this condition at some point in their life.

Although warts are common signs of HPV, the infection doesn’t always lead to a development of warts, cancers or other symptoms.

The usual mode of transmission is sexual. However, non-sexual transmission is also a possibility.

In most cases, HPV infection doesn’t cause symptoms. However, if you do have symptoms, you’ll experience itching, tenderness, and burning.

Doctors recommend the use of a condom during sexual interaction. However, condoms don’t prevent the infection completely.

Genital Herpes

Commonly known as herpes, this disease is caused by a virus — herpes simplex virus (HSV). You can get infected by it through an intimate contact with the linings of the mouth, vagina or genital skin of a person.

The infection enters your linings or skin through a microscopic tear. When the virus gets inside your body, it travels to your nerve roots, and it will settle there permanently.

Experts believed that most sexually active adults have the herpes virus. One of the reasons for the high infection rate is that most women infected with it don’t know that they have the disease because there are no symptoms that show up.

It’s also vital to remember that the longer the person has the virus, the fewer symptoms she may have.

If you are a female and are sexually active, prioritize your sexual health and get tested for STDs! As simple as that.

Common STDs and their symptoms in females