Jeff and Marissa met at a party. It seemed like harmless fun when Jeff began giving hints that he wouldn’t mind finding a more “comfortable” place to hang out. Marissa found herself at his parent’s house (they were conveniently out for the night). Jeff told Marissa they would just watch a movie and talk. Well…it started out that way, but it didn’t last for long. They started kissing, and then making out, and you know the rest after that. Marissa had heard about risks involved with pre-marital sex and she mentioned that to Jeff before things got too heavy.

“I’ve got protection,” Jeff said as he pulled out a condom. Marissa felt slightly uncomfortable but decided to go ahead because Jeff assured her it’s totally safe. Besides, Marissa didn’t see anything wrong with him – he looked perfectly normal.

After that night things seemed great. Jeff and Marissa spent more and more time together. Life couldn’t be better. A few weeks had passed when Marissa noticed a few small warts growing on her genital area. After conversing with a close friend, she decided to get tested for STIs. Tests came back that she was infected with Herpes. Jeff disappeared shortly after that.

I know this wasn’t the ending you were hoping for. One bad choice is going to affect Marissa for the rest of her life. Was it worth it?

Here are some things to consider about STIs (sexually transmitted infections) before you have sex…

1) STIs are in society. A study from 2004 estimated that in the year 2000 there were

• 18.9 million new cases of STIs (About half of the cases occurred with 15 – 24 year olds.)¹
• 68 million total cases including new and chronic cases.²

2) Teen girls are more susceptible to STIs than men.

• This is due to the cervix of an adolescent female not being fully developed and the cells on the cervix are highly susceptible to STIs.³

3) People with STIs don’t always have symptoms.

• The disease isn’t written on your partner’s forehead! Sometimes symptoms don’t show up for a while after intercourse.⁴
• Some STIs may never show visible symptoms but you can still pass the STI to others without knowing it.⁵   

4) Using a condom during sex doesn’t eliminate the risk of getting an STI.

• Condoms only reduce the risk of getting an STI.⁶
• Condom effectiveness varies for each STI (For example: Condoms are highly effective against HIV but against the disease HPV the protection is significantly reduced.)⁷

5) STIs can be spread by all types of sex (vaginal, oral and anal). 

• Some people think oral sex (mouth to genitals) is harmless, but you can get an STI (like syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes or HIV) in your mouth or throat.⁸
  
  I bet Marissa wished she had been aware of those facts before she got involved sexually with Jeff. Now she has an incurable disease to deal with for the rest of her life, and the regret of giving herself to some random guy. Even with protection she was still at risk of getting an STI.
  

There is a way to completely eliminate the risk of getting an STI; it’s called abstinence. Abstinence is choosing not to engage in sexual activity, any type of sexual stimulation until marriage, regardless of your past. You can save sex for the person you will marry someday, and not be held back by an STI. You don’t have to REDUCE the risk; you can ELIMINATE the risk by choosing abstinence. 

If you have been sexually active, it's important to be tested for STIs. You can visit the Chemung County Health Department Clinic for free testing. Click here for their hours.

Sources –

1. http://www.medinstitute.org/content.php?name=faq, Question #6, Accessed: 9/19/08
2. Ibid.
3. http://www.medinstitute.org/content.php?name=faq , Question #7, Accessed: 9/19/08
4. http://www.medinstitute.org/content.php?name=genitalherpes, Accessed: 9/19/08
5. Ibid.
6. http://www.medinstitute.org/content.php?name=faq#listitem1766-7467, Question #10, Accessed: 9/19/08
7. Ibid.
8. http://www.medinstitute.org/content.php?name=stifacts, Accessed: 9/19/08