Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV-AIDS):

• Are most common in people who begin sexual activity at a young age, have had more than one sex partner in a lifetime, use drugs, have sex without a condom, or have a partner with one or more of the risk factors.
• Some sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, human papilloma viruses (HPV), and herpes are not curable.
• Gonorrhea and chlamydia can cause sterility in both males and females. A pregnant woman may pass an untreated infection to her baby.
• Safer sex practices such as using a condom and limiting the number of sex partners will decrease the risk of contacting a sexually transmitted infection.