Hey Ladies! I decided to go off lecture and discuss the topic of STDS but more importantly to go off of the most common one I've at least heard about, HPV.
When I went to the doctor back in June for a recent checkup and pap smear, I asked my doctor what the most common STD was in patients that she has seen around my age (20). As we discussed more, she told me how the most common STD in women in there teens and early twenties is HPV. I wasn't really sure what HPV was, but knew that I had heard of friends of mine having it. My doctor told me that 80% of women before the age of 30 will get HPV at some point in their lives. Although this number seems outrageous, my doctor went on to say that most of the time the HPV virus will go away with time. In addition, some women will never know they even had it unless they were to get tested. Being in college and knowing some people have had multiple partners, I was a little bit nervous/scared. What I found out too was that a lot of men have HPV but never get tested. Therefore, the person you could be sleeping with might have HPV and not even know it themselves. The worse part, you would have no idea either. HPV is one of the hardest STDs to decipher. It doesn't produce blisters, herpes, rashes, etc. It's pretty much invisible and odorless! HPV, according to the CDC, is a very common sexually transmitted disease infecting about 6 million people a year. It's estimated that 50 percent of sexually active men and women have been exposed at some point in their lives. In the majority of infections, our body's immune system takes care of it without any treatment. However, the same way certain strains of the virus get into cells of the cervix and change them into cancerous cells, it can also happen with the cells in the mouth and throat when exposed during oral sex. Although HPV can have serious effects, the symptoms are pretty much NOTHING!
After my doctor visit, I immediately was interested in getting the Gardasil shot. The shot consisted of 3 doses and can protect you from getting the HPV virus or washing it out of your system if you already have it. I also learned, if you choose to have vaginal or anal intercourse, use condoms EVERY time. They can reduce the risk of HPV. They are not as effective against HPV as they are against other infections such as chlamydia and HIV. But they greatly reduce the risk of HPV infection. You can use condoms, Sheer Glyde dams, dental dams, or plastic wrap during oral sex to further reduce the risk.
I hate talking about scary things like this, but I think it's so important to let people know the statistics on how common this STD is. If you take the initiative to be more responsible while having sex, you're chances of catching the virus is very slim. Let's all practice safe sex and spread the word!
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex/hpv-4272.htm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leigh-vinocur-md/oral-sex-cancer_b_850066.html
3 WEEKS TIL SUMMER!
-Olivia Arns
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It's so scary to think of all the infections that are out there! So many people lack knowledge about such infections and they have no idea how much harm it can cause them. If more people knew what was out there they wouldn't be so careless.
ReplyDeleteIf the tv shows we watched showed how real STD's & STI's are then we as a whole would be more informed. This was shocking to me. Makes me want to get tested every week, just to be sure!
Chasidy Allen
I also hate talking about STD's because i am TERRIFIED of them. I am paranoid. I have had friends who have had certain std's and even cervical cancer and I will never take the chance of getting one. I dont understand why women do not get their partners tested before hand. I also know that "one night stands" happen, but if so why wouldnt one want to have every form of protection they could to prevent such infections and diseases? Its a scary subject to think about, but it is sooo important especially in todays world.
ReplyDelete-Danielle Brown