By Liza Draper

Here’s something to think about while you finish your holiday shopping: 20 million new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are reported annually in the U.S. – and more than half affect young people ages 15-24.  That means one in four sexually active teens today has an STI. Yikes!

STIs are passed from one person to another through sexual contact. These include chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis, and HIV. Many of these do not show symptoms for a long time. Even without symptoms, they can still be harmful and passed on during sex. 

Wait, there’s more: 
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says there was a 36 percent increase in rates of syphilis among women and a 28 percent increase in syphilis among newborns from 2015 to 2016 alone. The number of gonorrhea cases in New Hampshire is skyrocketing. These increases are seriously scary, especially since drug resistance to the last remaining recommended gonorrhea treatment is on the rise. 

What’s going on?   
Lots of factors put teens at greater risk for infection. For one, young women’s bodies are biologically more prone to infection. Then there’s the fact that teens in general tend to be hesitant to talk about sex with healthcare providers. Many young people don’t get tested for STIs, assuming they are not at risk.  

Guess what?   
ANYONE who is sexually active can get an STI. You don’t even have to “go all the way” (have anal or vaginal sex), since some STIs can be spread through oral sex too, and some, like herpes and HPV, are spread just by skin-to-skin contact. Plus, most STIs don’t cause any symptoms that you would notice. You can get an STI from having sex with someone who has no symptoms! Just like you, that person might not even know they have an infection.  

So what?  
Some curable STIs can be dangerous if they aren’t treated. For example, if left untreated, chlamydia and gonorrhea can make it difficult—or even impossible—for a woman to get pregnant. You also increase your chances of getting HIV if you have an untreated STI. And some STIs, like HIV, can be fatal if left untreated. They aren’t curable, but a healthcare provider can prescribe medicine to treat the symptoms. 

What can you do?   
The only method that’s 100% effective in preventing STIs is abstinence. So if you think you’re ready to have sex you need to be ready to protect your body.

• Talk to your partner ahead of time about what you will and will not do sexually. Your partner should always respect your right to say no to anything that doesn’t feel right.
• If you do decide to have sex, you and your partner should get tested beforehand.
• Make sure that you and your partner use a condom or dental dam from start to finish EVERY time. It is not safe to stop using condoms or dental dams unless you’ve both been tested for STIs, know your results, and are in a mutually monogamous relationship (you both agree to only have sexual contact with each other).
• Also avoid mixing alcohol and/or other substances with sex. If you’re not sober, you are more likely to take risks, like not using a condom or having sex with someone you normally wouldn’t have sex with. 

​So as you’re finishing your shopping remember that there are some really important things to wrap this holiday…and condoms/dental dams make great stocking stuffers!