Understand the Risks of STDs and STIs
Sexually transmitted infections are one of the major health challenges faced in our country today according to the Centers for Disease Control , with 1 in 5 people in the US having an STI and almost half of new cases are among 15-24-year-olds.
Having an abortion with an untreated STI can lead to serious health risks. Women who have an untreated STD (like chlamydia or gonorrhea) are up to 23% more likely to develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) following an abortion procedure.
Testing for STDs and STIs and learning about the risks associated with them will help you make an informed decision about your health. If you are sexually active, you should be tested for STD/STIs on a regular basis.
At Hope Women’s Center, our STD/STI testing and limited treatment services are offered at no cost.
Contact us to see if you are eligible for free testing and treatment. Please note we only see STI patients on Wednesday mornings and Thursday afternoons.
Questions About STIs
If you are sexually active you could be at risk for STIs. If you have had more than one partner or your partner has had sex with more than one person, then your risk increases.
Most STIs have no outward symptoms at first. The more common bacterial STIs like Chlamydia and Gonorrhea can be treated, once detected, with antibiotics. But left untreated, STIs put people at risk for long-term health issues like chronic pain and reproductive health complications.
Sources
Westergaard L, Phillipsen T, Scheibel J (1982). “Significance of cervical Chlamydia trachomatis infection in postabortal pelvic inflammatory disease.”
Obstetrics and Gynecology, 68(5): 668-90;
Ovigstad E, et al. (1983). “Pelvic inflammatory disease associated with Chlamydia trachomatis infection after therapeutic abortion.”
Br J Vener Dis, 59: 189-92;
Heisterberg L, et al. (1987). “The role of vaginal secretory immunoglobulin a, gardnerella vaginalis, anaerobes, and Chlamydia trachomatis in post abortal pelvic inflammatory disease.”
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 66(2): 99-102.