Sexually Transmitted Diseases
STD is slowly being seen as an epidemic, a global phenomenon wherein no race or gender is discriminated from these infections and diseases. To paint just how prevalent this problem is let’s talk in percentages. In just one act of an unprotected sexual intercourse, any adolescent woman has a percentage of chance of acquiring HIV, 30-percent chance of acquiring genital herpes, and 50-percent risk of being infected with gonorrhea. And to think that chlamydia infection even occurs four times more frequently than gonorrhea does while the most common STI is the human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. This is also the leading cause of cancer in a woman's cervix especially as she gets older.
Although it is true that sexual activity has its share of risks in any individual, regardless of any age, it is still during the adolescent years when these risks are considerably magnified. The adolescents have more tendencies to have more than one sex partner in their stage of exploring. Apart form that, they are less likely to take precautions like using condoms to prevent contact with diseases. And ultimately, these teens’ immaturity increase their chances of getting STIs especially since they may not have learned ways yet of standing up on their own. And yet, in spite of the risks, majority of adolescents still choose to engage in sexual activity and even promiscuity. They could not be totally blamed given the large extent by which unguarded sexual content has proliferated in the media. Along with this is the weakening of the family or any semblance of a support system that might save the youth from engaging in such activities. As it is discovered in many comprehensive studies, even the most mature teenager who takes all the necessary precautions towards safe sex is still deep in a risky business.
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