Sexual Health

We believe sexual health is more than just regular testing and a stringent birth control regimen. Just like with pregnancy options, we believe women should make informed choices when it comes to their fertility, sexual health, and reproductive health. Contact us to learn more about fertility awareness, contraceptive methods and how they work, failure rates, and more. 

Sexually Transmitted Infections & Diseases

STI or STDs are interchangeable terms; STIs are typically called STDs once symptoms appear. STDs are contracted from another infected person through sexual activity. STDs can cause a lot of damage and can be passed to your partner without your knowledge. 

One of the most common side effects of an STD is no symptoms at all. Other common symptoms can include:

  • Clear, white, greenish, or yellowish discharge
  • Strong vaginal odor
  • Itching or irritation inside the penis or vagina
  • Pain during sexual intercourse
  • Painful urination

If you’ve had unprotected sex or a change of partners, it’s time to get tested. Oral, anal, or vaginal sex always carries the risks of STDs. If you need more information on the types of STDs or avoiding sexually transmitted diseases or infections, contact us today.

STDs & Pregnancy

At a minimum, the CDC recommends all sexually active women schedule an annual chlamydia and gonorrhea screening. You also need to get tested if:

  • You’ve recently had unprotected sex
  • You’ve had a change in partners
  • You have experienced itching or burning in your pelvic area
  • You are pregnant
  • You have scheduled an abortion

You may need to get tested even if you have no symptoms or consistently use a condom or barrier method. Getting rested prior to an abortion procedure can reduce your risk of infection or PID (pelvic inflammatory disease).

While we provide information on STDs, pregnancy, and protecting your sexual health, we do not provide STD testing at this time. If you think you may be pregnant, start by scheduling a free testing appointment today.

References

Nationally Representative CDC Study Finds 1 in 4 Teenage Girls Has a Sexually Transmitted Disease, 2008 National STD Prevention Conference, Press Release, March 11, 2008.

STD Facts – Pelvic inflammatory Disease. (n.d.). https://www.cdc.gov/std/pid/stdfact-pid.htm

Time From First Intercourse to First Sexually Transmitted Infection Diagnosis Among Adolescent Women, Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Vol. 163, No. 12, December 2009, pp. 1106-1111

Genus B human papillomaviruses and incidence of basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas of skin: population-based case-control study, The British Medical Journal, 2010.

Infertility & STDs – STD Information from CDC. (n.d.). https://www.cdc.gov/std/infertility/default.htm