A disturbing trend in sexual illness is the overwhelming rise in cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea since 2000, especially in people under 25. Some studies report upwards of two-thirds of new cases are in teenagers and young adults, a statistic that highlights the worrisome increase of unprotected sex in that age group.
Previously, teen and young adult sexual activity was primarily reported by the number of pregnancies, an upward trend that was stunted by increasing use of hormonal contraception (e.g. the pill) by young women. Many places even made these medications available gratis to "at-risk" girls who were unable to afford them. Additionally, there is the recent advent of "Plan B" contraception, a mega-dose of hormones that blocks implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterine wall; it's now available over the counter for those over 18.
While hormonal contraception can be up to 99-percent effective for preventing pregnancy, estrogen, progesterone and their imitators do nothing to prevent spreading sexually transmitted infections, or STIs. Thus, while teen pregnancy decreased, STIs have not. Arguably, hormonal contraceptives could provide a false sense of security. Previously, teens and young adults would use condoms to prevent pregnancy, but now they have medicine to serve that purpose and might not realize the importance of condoms to prevent other outcomes such as STIs. Pop culture perpetuates this idea through movies like "Juno" and "Knocked Up," which showcase pregnancy as the unwanted outcome of a sexual encounter, following the ensuing comedic trials. No matter the ending, all begin with the initial discovery of pregnancy regarded as a disaster that ends life as the characters know it without concern for other outcomes of unprotected sex.
What these pop-culture references fail to address are the other, often greater, risks associated with unprotected sex, such as HIV and HPV, both of which can lead to lifelong complications. The recent advent of Gardasil vaccine to protect against HPV is as much of a double-edged sword as the massive dissemination of hormonal contraceptives. Young women will feel protected from HPV/cervical cancer and may potentially believe they are protected from other STIs. Or perhaps they will believe that they needn't worry about things such as chlamydia since it's treatable and that they are protected against "the worst" outcomes: unwanted pregnancy and cancer.
The point is that while we continue to come up with methods to protect us from some consequences of sex, we are lulled into forgetting or ignoring that we have yet to come up with methods that protect us from all consequences of unprotected sex. The increase in chlamydia and gonorrhea can be used as an indicator for the amount of unprotected sex that occurs, since it's rather difficult to catch either disease if barrier methods are used. While it's true that both of these diseases can be treated, there has been an increase in the number of resistant strains of both. This means the bacteria causing these diseases are evolving to avoid our traditional methods of treatment so new, stronger medications must be used to cure people of these infections.
Additionally, chlamydia and gonorrhea can both cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which damages the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. PID can lead to serious complications, such as infertility and ectopic pregnancy (implantation anywhere but inside the uterus). Also, PID is more common in women under 25, which matches disturbingly the population in which chlamydia and gonorrhea are rising. While PID can be prevented with proper treatment, such as clearing up the causative STI, it is important to emphasize that these diseases can often be present asymptomatically, which potentially translates to developing PID without knowledge of an infection. PID can even occur without definitive symptoms, since there is no test to diagnose PID directly and its symptoms are often mild and non-specific.
In conclusion, if you're engaging in any form of sexual activity where genitals may be contacted, it is important to wear proper barrier protection. Men, keep your daggers sheathed. Women, cloak yourselves (female condoms). Additionally, be sure to get regular STI screenings and have any unusual symptoms checked out by Student Health. Don't become a statistic; be wise to the rise of chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Katie is a University Medical student. She can be reached at kmcbeth@cavalierdaily.com.
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