Disclaimer: I am not medically trained. I am not a researcher. I am not an expert. I am just a polyamorous female who has done her homework and is willing to pass along stuff.
STD Basics
Ok... let's go back to high school health ed class, and start with the basic STDs. Below you'll find them listed with their consequence, how common they are as well as a link to the CDC's most recent information on each. You'll notice that they're listed in descending order of how common they are. How many of the most common ones are you already aware of? Notice how low the most recognized STD, HIV, is on the list?
| STD (Link to CDC) |
Description | Rate of Infection | Condom Effectiveness |
| Unintended Pregnancy | Let's face it, if it's an unintended pregnancy it's a pretty huge sexually transmitted condition that you'll have to deal with. | ~ 50% of pregnancies are unintended. | 98% |
| Bacterial Vaginosis | Overgrowth of 'bad' bacteria in the vagina, causing discharge, odor, pain, itching or burning. Treated with antibiotics. | Most common vaginal infection (exact number not known) | Unknown |
| Trichomoniasis | Parasite infection that can cause painful urination, discharge and pain during intercourse. Highly treatable with metronidazole. | 7.4 million new infections a year | High |
| HPV | Human Papillomavirus - Responsible for both genital warts and cervical cancer. Can often require physical removal of tissue to correct. | 6.2 million NEW infections a year 20 million active infections 80% of the population affected at some point in life. |
70% |
| HSV 1 & 2- Herpes/Cold Sores | Viral infection that causes painful blisters and ulcers that can re-occur over a lifetime. Can occur on either the genitals, rectum, mouth or eyes and can be interchangeable. Anti-viral medications can shorten outbreaks, but there is no cure. | 1 out of 5 adults has had a genital HPV infection. | Little (sores can occur outside of protected area) |
| Chlamydia | Bacterial infection that can cause infertility in women before she even knows she has an infection. Burning sensations in penis for men. Usually easily treated with antibiotics if caught. | 2.8 million new infections a year | High |
| Gonorrhea | Bacterial infection that usually has few symptoms. Can cause PID and infertility if left untreated. Can spread to blood and joints too. Antibiotic treatments may be able to treat it, but there are drug resistant strains. | 700,000 new infections a year. | High |
| Hepatitis A/B/C/D/E | Class of viruses that can attack the liver, causing severe and often untreatable damage. There are vaccines for some strains that are the best protection. | 73,000 new infections of Hep B a year | Unknown |
| HIV | Viral infection that causes AIDS. There are treatments that prolong life, but no cure. | 42,000 new infections a year | 98% |
| Syphilis | Bacterial infection that causes 3 stages - sores, skin rash and internal organ damage. Easy to cure in early stages with antibiotics - critical to be diagnosed in first year. | 32,000 new infections a year (and seems to be increasing) | Little (sores can occur outside of protected area) |
