Half of all sexually active women will contact a sexually transmitted disease (STD) before they are twenty-five, but most of them will not know it. Women with STIs can have very mild symptoms, and up to eighty percent have no symptoms at all. Many women who have STDs think they have a minor health problem, like a urinary tract or yeast infection. Unfortunately, untreated STDs can have especially serious health consequences in women, even if they do not show symptoms.
What kind of consequences? For one, untreated STDs are a major cause of infertility in women and can cause serious problems during pregnancy for both mother and child. Because of these and other health risks, all sexually active women should get regularly tested for STDs. There are At Home STD test kits as well for testing at home. Once STIs are diagnosed many can be cured, and all can be treated.
The Symptoms
In women, many sexually transmitted diseases have similar symptoms. The most common symptoms include pain or burning during urination. Vaginal discharge is also a typical symptom of STDs in women. The vaginal discharge may be yellow, foamy, pus-like, or have a bad odor. These symptoms should not be ignored. Neither should sores, warts, or rashes in the genital area. Even if they go away, that does not mean the infection is cured.
Changes in the menstrual cycle can also indicate STDs in women. Women infected with gonorrhea may experience bleeding in between periods, particularly heavy periods, or more pain than usual during menstruation.
