HPV AND STI Epidemic ( A must Read!)

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that nearly 20 million new STI's occur every year with 50% of those among young people aged 15-24. This crisis especially impacts women in a critical way causing over 24,000 women to become infertile each year.

HPV - CDC estimates that at least 80% of all sexually active people will contract a strain of HPV infection at some point in their lifetime. Data released in 2013-2014 indicate that 42% of men and 40% of women aged 18-59 have genital HPV at this time. The HPV virus is responsible for over 31,000 cases of cancer each year, including most cases of cervical and anal cancer, 75% of vaginal cancer, 70% of oropharyngeal cancer, and 69% of vulvar cancer occur as well.

Herpes is a more common infection that affects about 1 in 8 people aged 14-49 in the U.S. About 1 in every two people ages 14-49 are infected with HSV-1 which is typically contracted through oral herpes. Symptoms of genital herpes can go unnoticed, and most people (approximately 90%) don't even know they have the condition.

There are several other sexual conditions that are still common to the average sexually active person such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis. In 2015, these conditions reached a record high level of approximately 1.5 million that were reported to the CDC. Many cases are undiagnosed, therefore, never treated. In women, undiagnosed and untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and unfortunately, according to the CDC, 1 in every 8 women with a history of PID are likely to experience difficulties getting pregnant.

The key to keeping yourself safe, avoiding being infected, or treating these conditions is to avoid missing your annual female exams and present to your Doctor when something in your body doesn't feel right. Additionally, using condoms, having your partner tested, and being selective about who you are intimate with, is key to living a healthy and disease-free life.