Safe Sex Essentials YM, Young & Modern magazine, September, 1998 Knowing about sexually transmitted diseases can save your relationship-and life
By Christina Boyle and Garland Katz

Here's the scary truth: Girls ages 15 to 24 are at mega-risk of catching a sexually transmitted disease (STD)-genital herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or HIV-especially is you've had multiple body bonding partners. Since STDs are so serious, we snagged Debbie A Driscoll, M.D., a teen gynecology pro at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, to answer your most common questions

Q: " What exactly are STDs and how do you get them?"

A: "There are over 20 types of STDs; infections caused by bacterria, viruses, parasites, and other small organisms that are mainly transferred through sexual contact, " says Dr. Debbie,. You can one through any physical contact that allows infected blood, bodily fluid, or tissue to touch your body's mucous membranes (the warm, moist surfaces of the vagina, urethra, anus, or mouth) or to come into your body through cuts and lesions.

Q: "How can I tell if I have an STD or if my boyfriend does?"

A: Here, the most common STDs, and how they are recognized:

Three out of four women with chlamydia (an intracellular parasite) have no symptoms. If symptoms do turn up, Dr. D says they;ll most likely be yellow or green vaginal discharge, which usually deveops one to two weeks after infection, painful peeing, unusal vaginal bleeding, and abdominal pain. Up to 25% of guys have no symptoms, but the rest usually have a burning sensation when they pee and discharge from the penis that appears one to three weeks after infection.

At least half of women with gonorrhea (a bacterial infection) mya have noe symptoms at first. Those with symptoms get them within the first seven to ten days of infection. Dr. D says common signs are pus-like discharge, burning when you pe, and vaginal bleeding between your periods. A guy with gonorrhea may have no symptoms, or he may have pus-like discharge from the penis, which may be red and inflamed, and he may feel a burning sensation when he pees.

A 1997 study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that one in five Americans 12 and older have genital herpes (a viral infection) and don't even know it. For girls, if symptoms occur, they usually appear two to twenty days after infection. According to Dr. D, herpes usually begins with itchy genitals. Later, sores can erupt anywhere down there, possibliy making it painful to pee. They start as red bumps and change into watery blisters which eventually burst. Guys may have sores on the penis shaft, scrotum, butt, or inner thighs.

Only about 10% of women who get syphilis (a bacterial infection) notice the first phase of the disease, the sore that shows up on the genitals nine to 90 days after infection. Sometimes it never develops or is hidden insidethe vagina or inside the folds of your labia (your vaginal lips), says Dr. Debbie. The second phase happens anywhere from one week to six months post- infection. It can cause an all-over body rash, a sore in the mouth, or flu-like symptoms, all of which can come and go for years. The third phase can last for up to 20 years, in which time no signs may appear. Druing this time, however, bacteria may be trashing your heart or brain, which can lead to heart disease or blindness. Guys' symptoms are similar to girls', but they tend to notice their sores, which are usually visible on their penis and scrotum.

Genital warts (a viral infection caused by the human papillomarvirus, or HPV) usually appear three weeks to eight months after exposure. Dr. D says it's common for a girl with HPV to develop cervical lesions-which produce no symptoms but may be picked up by a routine pap smear. HPV can cause visible genital warts (small hard spots or flaky lesions around the vaginal opening or anus, or inside the vagina). With guys, visible genital warts can show up on the penis and scrotum.

A girl or guy can be infected with AIDS ( a viral infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV) for ten years or more without showing symptoms, says Dr. D. Early HIV symptoms include lumps in the neck, armpit, or groin, a persistent dry cough, and rashes.

If you or your boy have any of these symptoms, or iff you've had sex without a condom, Dr. D urges both of you to get tested ASAP. The good news is that, when caught early, most bacterial or parasitic STDs (like chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis) are easily cured with antibiotics or topical creams and lotions. Viral infections like genital herpes, HPV, and HIV, however, are only treatable, not curable. for more totally helpful info about STDs, check out Our Bodies, Ourselves (for the New Century).

Q: "What could happen if I had an STD and didn't know it?"

A: Dr D says that without testing, you may not be aware of an STD until it brings on other dangerous conditions. For example, if a woman has untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea, she can develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can result in infertility or constant pelvic pain. And HIV, as we all know, can kill you.

Q: "I've slept with many guys. Where can I get tested for STDs?"

A: "Anyone who's sexually active, even if they're in a faithful relationship with one person, and even if they use condoms, should be regularly tested for STDs by their family doctor, gynecologist, or local public health clinic," Dr. D advises. No mater where you go, you don't need Mom or Dad's okay to get tested or treated. If you go to a doctor, call first to find out what he or she can test for and what it will cost. Then, if you have medical insurance or beling to an HMO, call your carrier to find out what costs will be covered. Keep in mind that your parents could find out you got tested if they pay for your insurance or is a lab bill is mailed to your house.

If after you've spoken to your family doctor you're still worried about cost or confidentiality, your better option may be a public clinic. All of them offer free and confidential testing for STDs. To find out more about clinics near you, services offered, costs, and confidentiality, you can call Planned Parenthood (800-230-PLAN) or the National Sexually Transmitted Disease Hotline (800-227-8922).

Wherever you go, Dr. D says you should expect to get a pelvic exam and have a medical history taken, so the doctor or clinician can figure out which tests to do. Before you bolt, find out when and how you're getting your results, and if and when you should return for testing or treatment.

Q: "The thought of getting an STD freaks me out! How can I protect myself?"

A: The only 100% surefire way is abstinence, says Dr. D. Second best is having your guy wear a latex or polyurethane condom and using nonoxynol-9 spermicide every time you have intercourse. Condoms are effective against most STDs' but they don't completely protect against herpes, HPV, or syphilis, 'cause these can be transmitted through body parts the condom doesn't cover. If you're giving oral sex, he needs to wear a condom. And if he's giving oral sex, use a dental dam (a latex square that covers your vaginal area).

STD stats you need to know.

This ain't no boring health class, so pay attention. Girls your age are the least informed about STDs, according to 80% of doctors surveyed at an American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists conference. Yet only 21% of these docs said they test girls your age for STDs. So its time to get smart about STDs-and get over being to shy or embarassed to talk to your doc. Check out these facts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and you'll see that silence is stupid.

Girls ages 15-19 have the highest rate of gonorrhea and chlamydia in the U.S.

Three million of the 12 million new cases of STDs in the U.S. occur among teens ages 13 to 19.

Teen girls may have an increased vulnerability to STDs because their cervixes aren't fully developed yet, and that may hheighten their risk of getting infected.

Once you have one STD, you're way more at risk for getting another.