Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Sex is a special thing. It’s a wonderful intimate experience – at the right time with the right partner. Let your kids know that you value marriage, and that when surveyed, married couples usually report having the best sex lives. 29 ^{, 30, 31, 32}

You want your son or daughter to grow up and have a wonderful and healthy sex life – at the right time with the right partner. You, and your son or daughter, need to understand the risks of having sex before then.

Did you know there are eight common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the US, and even more when you include the ones that are less common? Most people don’t know they have a disease until they get tested. They could give somebody else the infection without knowing it.

Did you know that some STDs can cause damage that never goes away? Some STDs can make women and girls infertile. Some STDs can even lead to cancer. Of course, HIV/AIDS can kill.

Did you know that more than 65 million Americans have an STD that can not be cured with medication? These include herpes, Hepatitis B, and HIV. 33 Experts estimate that about 19 million Americans get an STD every year. One in two (50 percent) of every newly diagnosed STDs infects a teenager or young adult. ³⁴ That means that teenagers and young adults are getting infected with STDs faster than any other group in America. ³⁵

Did you know that teenage girls get infected with STDs more easily than adults? One reason is that their reproductive system has not finished developing, and their membranes are thinner and more easily damaged so infections can get in.

Your son or daughter needs to know about STDs, and you can’t depend on school or somebody else to tell them. You tell them. You don’t have to be an expert to start the conversation and answer questions. And make sure they know that you can’t look at somebody and tell if they have an STD.

You can learn a lot more about STDs by visiting Teenagers and STDs, and Common STDs.

Last revised: July 24, 2009