Some sexually transmitted diseases have no symptoms at all until they’ve done their damage, while others have symptoms easily confused with common bladder infections. Here’s what to watch for in the six most common STDs in women:
Chlamydia. This is the fastest growing STD in the U.S., especially among women between the ages of 15 and 24, and it’s also the one most often reported. Most cases, however, go undiagnosed. In fact, three-fourths of women infected with it have no symptoms at all; the rest may experience burning when urinating, spotting between periods, and vaginal discharge. If symptoms appear, it’s usually within three weeks of exposure, which can be through vaginal, oral, or anal sex. Chlamydia can be cured with a single course of antibiotics, but failure to treat it can result in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is difficult to cure, and can result in infertility, chronic pelvic pain, or ectopic pregnancy. Up to 40 percent of women who go untreated develop PID.
Gonorrhea. This is the second most commonly reported STD, and it is also under-diagnosed. If any symptoms are present at all, they are most often mild and frequently mistaken for signs of a bladder infection. It’s transmitted through vaginal, oral, or anal sex, and infects babies during a vaginal birth. It can be cured with antibiotics, and if left untreated can lead to the same consequences as chlamydia, with the added possibility of damage to heart tissue and joints. Exposure also increases the chances of getting HIV.
Genital herpes. Once acquired, the herpes virus stays in the nerve cells of the body forever, regardless of whether the disease is active or dormant. Symptoms appear within two weeks of exposure, and may take the form of blisters, bumps, or sores around the vaginal area, along with fever, headaches, and swollen glands. Outbreaks usually last several weeks, whereupon the disease becomes dormant, although it can still be contagious prior to another outbreak. There’s no cure for it, although some drugs can help. Women can pass herpes to their children during delivery, and it’s one of the leading causes of blindness in babies.
HPV and genital warts. Thirty of the approximately 100 strains of the HPV virus are associated with sexual contact, and half of sexually active Americans will get it. Some women who get it have no symptoms, while others develop warts in the genital area. Some strains may lead to the development of cervical cancer, and some of these high-risk strains have no symptoms at all. Spread through sex and direct skin contact in the genital area, there’s no cure for it, although there is a vaccine being highly touted at the moment. Some strains seem to be harmless, while those linked to cervical cancer can be deadly.
Trichomoniasis. Commonly called “trick,” it’s caused by a parasite that can be passed by sexual contact, and also by wet towels, wet clothing, and even by – your mother’s worst fear – dirty toilet seats. Symptoms include vaginal discharge coupled with unpleasant odor, pain while urinating or having intercourse, and itching. It’s treated with prescription drugs, and, if left untreated, can increase the chances of getting HIV, and can result in babies with low birth weight.
HIV/AIDS. Symptoms, which can remain dormant for ten years after coming into contact with the virus, run the gamut from tiredness and weight loss to swollen glands and pelvic inflammatory disease. Transmission is by sexual contact, and also by coming into contact with infected body fluids and blood through transfusions and dirty needles. Babies in the womb can contract it, and after they are born can get it by breastfeeding. Although some medications can slow the disease down, none can cure it.
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