Preventing STDs

The best way to prevent STDs is to abstain from sexual contact with others. But for indivividual who is sexually active, the following can be done to reduce the risk of developing an STD.1.Have sexual intercourse with only one uninfected partner whose only sexual partner is you.2.Use an unexpired male condom consistently and correctly. 3.To give intravenous injection, use new needle.4.Prevent and control other STDs to reduce susceptibility to HIV infection and to reduce your infectiousness if you are HIV-infected.5.Abstain from sex for as long as possible because the younger people are when having sex for the first time, the more susceptible they become to developing an STD.The risk of contacting an STD increases also with the number of sexual partners.6.Have regular medical checkups for STDs even when there are no symptoms, especially if you have sex with a new partner.7.Try and know the common symptoms of STDs, seek medical help if you suspect you have STD, no matter how mild they are.8.Avoid sexual intercouse during menstruation,an HIV-positive woman is probably more likely to infect her sexual partner during that time. On the other hand an HIV- negative woman is more likely to get infected during menses.9.Avoid douching because it removes some of the normal protective bacteria(normal flora) in the vagina, thus increasing the risk of contacting some STDs.
9.Get treated to reduce the risk of transmitting an STD to an infant,e.g a woman who have gonorhea can infect her newborn baby during delivery,thus developing conjunctivitis10.Know the possible risk of transmission in breast milk and whether commercial formula should be substituted.11.Inform all recent sex partners and urge them to get a checkup.12.Abstain from all sexual activity while being treated for an STD.13.Follow the doctor's prescription orders and complete the full course of medication prescribed.
At times some people are afraid or embarrassed to discuss their problem or seek for information abut their problems. There is really no need for this because most STDs are readily treated, and the earlier a person seeks treatment and warns sex partners about the disease, the less likely the disease will do irreparable physical damage, be spread to others or, in the case of a woman, be passed on to a newborn baby.It is also necessary to know that infertility can result from untreated STDs in both sexes.