Happy STD Education and Awareness Month!

No, really. Someone actually designated April as National STD Education and Awareness Month, and it's probably not a bad thing, considering one in four teenage girls has an STD. This video explains more. Although only a small number of girls were included in the study, not all STDs were tested for, suggesting that the actual percentage of teenage girls with an STD might be higher. In addition, some girls were found to have more than one STD. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), or the virus that can cause cerival cancer, was the #1 STD found in teenage girls, adding to the HPV vaccine debate.

Bacterial STDs like gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia can be cured with antibiotics, but antibiotic resistance has become a real concern, making these infections harder to treat. Undetected or recurrent infections can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and fertility issues.

While there are no cures for viral STDs like HPV, herpes and HIV, there are treatments. Although there are dozens of strains of HPV, the vaccine Gardasil protects against two strains of HPV that can cause cervical cancer, and two strains that can cause genital warts. Antivirals, like Valtrex, can prevent herpes outbreaks and reduce the risk of transmitting the disease. Finally, new and improved drug regimens have greatly increased the lives of people living with HIV.

Even though there are treatments, STD prevention is key! While abstinence is the best way to prevent STDs, condoms, when used properly and religiously, can drastically reduce your risk of contracting an STD. Unfortunately, condoms cannot prevent all STDs, especially those that can contracted by simple skin contact, like herpes and HPV.

STDs afflict everyone, from people in their teens to people in their 90s, across races and sexualities. Over the next month, I'll be discussing STDs in different populations. Until then, be safe, and check out great resources on STDs and STD prevention like this page from WEGO Health.

If you're sexually active, or thinking about becoming sexually active, talk to your doctor about preventing and testing for STDs. Don't wait for your doctor to ask you! Start the conversation at your next appointment.