As a sexually active woman, you may already know that there are sexually transmitted diseases that you are at risk for. However, you may not have any symptoms or you may think that the symptoms will go away. That can be dangerous, because these diseases can serious health problems if they are not treated in a timely manner. Here are just a few sexually transmitted diseases and some of the health conditions that may result if you do not notice and treat them.
Human Papillomavirus
Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, can cause a number of serious health problems. People often have no symptoms, so if you are not tested for it and do not treat it, you may soon develop genital warts or a number of cancers, most notably cervical cancer.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea can cause you to develop pelvic inflammatory disease. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, or PID, is a disease that affects the ovaries and fallopian tubes. If your gonorrhea goes untreated and you get this disease, it can progress and may cause permanent damage to your fallopian tubes and ovaries, scarring them.
The scarring can prevent a regular pregnancy, because the egg may not be able to make it all the way down into your uterus. You may end up with an ectopic pregnancy, where the egg is fertilized in the fallopian tube. Your fallopian tube may burst, which will result in dangerous internal bleeding. If that doesn't happen, there are some successful ectopic pregnancies, but the fetus is at risk throughout the pregnancy.
Syphilis
Having syphilis may or may not have symptoms that alert you to its presence, but left untreated, syphilis can go on to affect many of your major organs. Your eyes, liver, kidneys and many other organs can be negatively affected by the presence of the disease in your body over time.
Once the syphilis reaches your brain, which can happen many years after you contract syphilis, you may develop neurosyphilis. This condition affects the brain, and can cause you to exhibit signs of dementia, as well as coordination and incontinence problems.
As long as you are sexually active on a regular basis, you should make sure that you stay aware of your body and note any strange symptoms you experience. You also need to make sure that you are frequently tested for sexually transmitted diseases. If you don't have adequate insurance that will cover your tests, seek out free STD testing in your area. That way, you can protect yourself and your health.
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