What are STDs?

STDs are sexually transmitted diseases. These are called venereal diseases (VD) till 1990s. These are also called STIs, sexually transmitted infections.

Sexually transmitted diseases are infections that can be transferred through sexual contact, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex and anal sex. Heterosexuals and homosexuals are affected by sexually transmitted diseases.

There are more than 25 diseases which are transmitted through sexual activity. The most common STDs include:

• HIV/AIDS
• Bacterial vaginosis
• Genital herpes
• Chlamydia
• Candidiasis or yeast infection
• Gonorrhea
• Syphilis
• Human papillomavirus
• Trichomoniasis
• Hepatitis B

A person may be infected without symptoms and may potentially others. When the drug addicts use the same needles the possibility of the infection is there. In all the cases where body fluids are transferred one body to another the chance of infection is always there. This is applicable to operations, child birth and even breastfeeding.

Not all STDs could be cured. Often the women show no symptoms and if not treated this may lead to infertility. I need not tell anything about the danger of HIV/AIDS.

The best way to prevent STDs is to prevent sexual contact with infected persons. Use of condom is the most effective method to prevent STDs. Oral contraceptives do not prevent STDs. Persons who change their partners often and homosexuals must use condom always.

Condom

Condom is made of very thin latex rubber or plastic. A condom fits over the penis and can be used to prevent pregnancy as well as to prevent HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). It works by stopping sperm from reaching the eggs.

It is easily available in medical shops or family planning centres or even in youth organizations. Unlike many other contraception condoms does not have any side effects including physical or psychological effects. It can tear and break by accident and mostly the long nails can damage it. It can also slip off the penis.

Persons who have latex allergy must avoid the latex condom and can try with plastic.

If you use condom use only water based creams and fat based like Vaseline can dissolve the latex condoms.

The condom is 99% safe and effective if it is used properly.

The birth control pill or oral contraceptive pill

The oral contraceptives contain different levels of estrogens and progesterone or progesterone alone. It is prescribed by the family doctor after considering the family history and medical records of the woman. These pills stop the ovaries from releasing eggs every month. They also make the lining of the uterus thinner so that the fertilized egg could not attach there.

The disadvantages are that the pill must be taken everyday without any break. Even if you have vomiting or diarrhoea the effect of the pill is gone and you can become pregnant. If you forget to take the pill for a day then also the risk of pregnancy is there. Every year you need three months interval for the regeneration of the hormone household of your body, otherwise infertility may be the result. There are many side effects from these hormone pills.

Side effects:

If you have the following symptoms, go to your doctor and talk to him. These include severe headache, severe vomiting, speech problems, dizziness, faintness, weakness or numbness of arms or legs, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, crushing chest pain or chest heaviness, double vision, partial or complete loss of vision, bulging eyes, pain, warmth or heaviness in the back of the lower leg, severe stomach pain, jaundice, loss of appetite, extreme tiredness, weakness or lack of energy, fever, dark urine, pale stool, swelling of the hands, feet, joints and lower legs, mood changes and depression, unusual bleeding, skin rash and menstrual bleeding which is unusually heavy or that lasts more than 7 days in a row.

The other side effects are nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps or bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, swelling of the gum, increased or decreased appetite, brown or black skin patches, acne, hair growth in unusual places, white vaginal discharge, swelling, redness, irritation, burning or itching of the vagina, breast tenderness, enlargement or discharge, painful or missed menstruation, changes in menstrual flow, bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods, weight gain or weight loss and difficulty in wearing contact lenses.

Oral contraceptives may increase the risk of developing liver tumours and breast or liver cancer. The risk of getting a heart attack, a stroke or a serious blood clot may also be increased. Consult with your doctor about these serious effects.

Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious side effects from oral contraceptives, including heart attacks, blood clots and strokes. If you are older than 35 years or smoke 15 or more cigarettes per day, then the risk is higher. If you take birth control pills, you should not smoke.

Caution:

Oral contraceptives will work only as long as they are taken regularly. You may need to use a backup method of birth control if you vomit or have diarrhoea when you are taking this drug. You can consult your doctor to choose the correct backup method and for other advices.

The women who have family histories of diabetes, high blood pressure, migraines, blood clots and breast cancer should not take this. It is same with the progesterone-only pill also. Although both pills are 99% effective if taken properly these are not suitable for women who change their partners often because they give no protection from HIV virus and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

The patch - it is a big plaster with hormones of the combined pill oestrogen and progesterone and is applied on the skin. The hormones reach the blood through the skin. Apart from the side effects of the birth control pill here is the possibility of red skin and rash are there.

The advantages and disadvantages are the same as the birth control pill. The same precaution should also be taken as the oral pills.

This a prescription drug, but in India…..

Pulling out before ejaculation – the most frequently asked question from teenagers and young women in our whole world

Pulling out the penis before ejaculation does not lead to pregnancy, is it correct?

This is the most frequently asked question from teenagers and young women in the world. The young man tries to convince the young woman that she will not become pregnant if he pulls out before ejaculation and many believe also in course of time this.

The woman can still become pregnant because the lubrication fluid from the penis can contain few sperms and this is enough to make her pregnant.
The chance of getting HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are also high and never accept this argument.

There are some other myths and every woman must know this clearly.

Sex and pregnancy - you cannot predict anything because your psychology also plays a vital role.

Some of the myths include:

• She has her first sexual intercourse, so no chance of pregnancy – here also she can become pregnant
• Sex during her periods – she can become pregnant. It may be because sperm can stay alive for 3 to 5 days in a warm and moist environment
• Sex in the standing position – she can become pregnant because sperm can swim in any direction

There are as such no safer days during the menstrual cycle and a woman can become pregnant at any time.

Whether a Western girl in her puberty or an Indian woman with two children needs contraception it is always better to consult the gynaecologist for the right type of contraceptive method for her.

Safer Sex, Safe Sex, STDs: Everybody must know about this

There are few things which everybody – teenagers, adolescents and adults – must know and they are explained here.

Safer Sex - using a condom during sexual intercourse with HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases infected person is called safer sex. The infected body fluid should not enter in the blood of the other and this can cause the disease. If it is because of sexual intercourse or bleeding gums or sores in the mouth the result may be infection. The rest risk is minimal here but it is there.

Safe Sex - it is actually not sexual intercourse but one can have many activities even with a HIV infected person. These may be kissing, cuddling, massaging and rub each other’s bodies. But cuts and sores on the skin must be covered with plasters.

If you use a contraceptive there is 98% to 99% safety to prevent the pregnancy. The so-called rest risk is always there and 1% or 2% is too high. You cannot prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) with all contraceptive methods.

There are no natural methods to prevent pregnancy.