The Centers for Disease Control reported this week that as many as one out of every four girls has at least one sexually transmitted disease. That includes the human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, genital herpes and trichomoniasis.

Of those infected girls, nearly half were African-American. Specialists monitor the study believe that part of the reason is due to the small circles many teens run in; a few infected people can have a big effect on smaller communities. The most common infection among all the girls in the study was HPV, followed by chlamydia.

While most people—women and men—may not know they are infected, there can be signs of sexual disease including irritating discharge, pelvic inflammation, and abnormal smell. It is extremely important, say health specialists, to be checked for STDs. They can lead to cancer, chronic warts, ectopic pregnancies, infertility, and more.

What is also important according to specialists is that children understand that the only way to 100 percent prevent STDs is through abstinence. However, it is still important that even those abstaining get comprehensive sex education so they have all the facts.

While condoms can protect against most diseases, they can’t prevent them entirely. According to the FDA, while latex condoms are effective against chlamydia, trichomoniasis, HIV, gonorrhea, and hepatitis B, they aren’t as effective against genital herpes and syphilis. Also, condoms cannot protect against diseases transmitted through oral sex (most are possible to spread this way), so talking to children before they are sexually active can help reduce their risk of getting infected.

According to sex education specialists, protecting yourself includes:

  • abstaining from sex, or
  • using a latex condom
  • limiting amount of sexual partners
  • avoiding oral sex
  • avoiding douching, which can spread the infection into the womb
  • getting an HPV vaccination
  • see your doctor at least once a year and get tested for disease

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