Blog

What Women should know about Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)

What Women should know about Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)

Sexually transmitted diseases or sexually transmitted infections can spread through anal, oral or vaginal sexual contact.

Female symptoms of an STD consist of the following:

  • abnormal discharge
  • vaginal itching
  • pain
  • rashes

Different STDs do not show any symptoms and when not treated on time, STDs can cause fertility problems and greater chances of developing cervical cancer. These risks can make it more important to practice safe sex. By performing STD test for female in London, you can stay protected from unwanted infections from your partner.

According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are almost 50 percent of gonorrhea and chlamydia cases in women who are in the age group of 15 to 24 years. The CDC has estimated that nearly 20 million new sexually transmitted diseases occur every year and there are near about 357 million new infections of gonorrhoea, syphilis, Chlamydia and trichomoniasis. Since many women do not show any symptoms with STDs, they might not be aware when they require treatment.

As per the CDC, STDs that is not treated on time may lead to infertility in at least 24,000 women every year. They can increase the chances of further complications such as ectopic pregnancy or abdominal pain.

Common STDs in women

Some common STDs in women are:

  • human papillomavirus (HPV)
  • genital herpes
  • gonorrhea
  • chlamydia

HPV is a common STD in women that occurs due to cervical cancer. There is a vaccine available that can prevent against certain HPV strains.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are common bacterial sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, chlamydia is the most commonly reported STD and most gynecologists will be checking for the infections during normal checkups.

Genital herpes is quite common among one out of six people who are suffering from this disease.

Common symptoms of STDs

Women should know about the probable symptoms of STD so that they can seek for medical advice, when needed. Some common symptoms are the following:

See also  Buying Chair Upholstery Furniture in Dubai

Change during urination If you are having an STD, then this may indicate severe pain or burning sensation at the time of urination. You have the requirement to pee more often or presence of blood in your urine.

Unusual vaginal discharge – The consistency of vaginal discharge changes constantly at the time of a woman’s cycle. If your discharge is thick and white, then this signifies you have a yeast infection. When discharge is green or yellow, it can lead to trichomoniasis or gonorrhea.

Itching in your vaginal area  Itching is said to be a non-specific symptom that might or might not be related to an STD. Some causes for vaginal itching are the following:

  • yeast infection
  • genital warts
  • allergic reaction to a latex condom
  • scabies or pubic lice
  • early phases of most bacterial and viral STDs

Pain at the time of intercourse: This symptom is usually overlooked, however pelvic or abdominal pain indicates pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID commonly occurs due to an advanced stage of infection with gonorrhea or chlamydia.

Abnormal bleeding Unusual bleeding is another sign of PID or other reproductive problems that occurs through an STD.

Rashes or sores Sores or small pimples around the vagina or mouth denotes herpes, syphilis or HPV.

Prevention

Woman need to take some preventive measures for preventing the transmission of STDs.

Get tested regularly

Women need to go for a Pap smear in every three to five years. It is extremely important to ask if you should test for any STDs and HPV vaccination has been suggested. It is advised that you talk to your doctor about STD testing in case you remain sexually active.

Use a condom for protection

Whether it is related to oral, anal or vaginal sex, using a condom can protect both you and your partner. There are female condoms and dental dams available that can offer a certain level of protection. Birth control pills, spermicides and other kinds of contraception can protect against pregnancy, but they do not safeguard against STDs.

Communicate with your doctor and partner

It is essential to communicate directly with the doctor and your partner about sexual history.

See also  Things you need to know before choosing the best fencing materials

STDs and pregnancy

Women can suffer from sexually transmitted diseases when they are pregnant. As many infections do not detect any symptoms, women fail to know that they have been infected. Due to this reason, doctors can perform a complete STD panel at the beginning of pregnancy.

These infections might be life-threatening to you as well as your baby. You can pass may spread STDs on to your baby at the time of pregnancy or child birth and so, early treatment is needed. All bacterial STDs can be treated by taking antibiotics at the time of pregnancy. But viral infections are treated with antivirals in order to avoid the chances of passing the infection to your child.

STDs and sexual assault

Some women develop STDs due to sexual assault and when they decide to visit a healthcare provider, he will capture DNA and evaluate for the injuries. During this procedure, they check for probable STD infection. If some time has passed after the sexual assault, you need to ask for medical assistance. Your doctor will be able to discuss possibly about the event with other health-related concerns.

Based on the person, their risk factors and medical record, the healthcare provider can suggest prescribe preventative treatment that includes:

  • antibiotics
  • HIV antiviral medication
  • hepatitis vaccine
  • HPV vaccine

Visiting your healthcare provider at the appropriate time is necessary to ensure that the medications had been effective and no infections should be treated.

What to do after you have been diagnosed

  • Begin any treatment your doctor prescribes for your need
  • Discuss with your partner(s) and let him/her know that they should get tested and treated, too.
  • Restrict yourself from sex till the infection is either treated or the doctor gives approval. In case of bacterial infections, you need to wait till the medications have cured you as well as your partner.
  • For viral infections, wait for a long time so that your partner takes antiviral medications, if needed to lessen the risk of infecting them.

Thus, book your nearest private gynaecologist in London and get yourself treated at the right time.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *