6 Out Of 10 People Get Infected With An STD On Valentines Day.

#1

A study released by the Arlington Medical Institute shows that since 2010, the amount of unplanned pregnancies reported has actually dropped. This, however, does not mean that people are using protection and being safe. More likely, this study shows more and more people have been "pulling out." This had helped decrease pregnancies but increase the spread of STD's. Valentine's days is one of the biggest days for sex there is. On this day there are many people who have sex for the first time. 6 out of 10 people who have sex on V-day will statistically become infected with an STD.

#2

Many celebrities have openly talked about their health issues over the years but rarely do they discuss STD's or sexual health. The late George Michael used to make headlines with his tales of crazy sex and drug use. However even he never actually admitted if he ever contracted an STD.

#3

The symptoms vary for every STD, but they commonly include sores and blisters on your genitals or mouth, pain and a burning sensation during urination, strange colored discharge from your sexual organs, itching or swelling and pain in or around the vagina or penis. If you start showing any of those symptoms, you could possibly have an STD and should get tested immediately.

#4

The big problem is that most people don't even realize they may have an STD until the first symptoms start to appear. By that time it's far too late. Most STD's take a few weeks to begin manifesting symptoms or show up positive on a test. In the case of HIV, it can lay dormant for several months or years before you know anything is wrong.

#5

Remember that even if you don't show symptoms, you can still pass along STD's. For example, if you have sex with someone who has chlamydia and then you get tested for it a week later. Your test comes back negative but you could still run the risk of passing the disease. This is because you didn't wait the full 3 weeks that it takes for the disease to show up with a positive result.

#6

STD's can be spread by infected bodily fluids such as semen, blood or vaginal fluids. They can also be contracted through contact with open sores in the mouth or skin. You can be exposed to infected bodily fluids via oral, anal or vaginal sex. Anal sex, in particular, is very risky as it often causes bleeding. Sharing needles can also cause one to become infected. Most STD's only spread through directly having sexual contact but scabies and pubic lice can easily spread to others via close contact with an infected person or their clothes and bedding.

#7

Did you know that STD's can actually increase your chances of developing diabetes? It's true. Scientists have discovered that people with an STD are 82% more likely to develop diabetes.

#8

Around the country, 20 million new STDs are diagnosed every year. These infections end up costing somewhere around $16 billion annually in taxpayer funds towards public health to treat them. 50% of those 20 million new infections are people aged 15 -24. Many are first timers.

#9

HPV is the most commonly transmitted disease followed by chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and herpes. Hepatitis B, HIV, and trichomoniasis round out the rest of the list in that order. New infections have been stedily increasing over the past few decades with some experts stating that America is facing an ongoing STD epidemic.

#10

In 1996 there were around 15 million new STD infections reported and about 18.9 million reported back in 2000. Researchers have pointed out that differences in information gathering methods back then were different so that could account for some of the discrepancies in the statistics.

Share this article with your friends to remind them how important safe sex is.