If people are sexually active and not using condoms, what is the possibility
of them having a disease?
– Kamyra*
Unfortunately, it's quite likely. People who have sex without using condoms are
at high risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
It doesn't matter how many people the person has had sex with. Even if someone
has only had one sexual partner, that partner could have a disease. Of course, the
chances of getting STDs (also called sexually transmitted infections, or STIs) are
even higher if a person has unprotected sex with lots of different partners.
Many people who have STDs do not have obvious signs or symptoms. Because of this,
they may believe they're "clean" and tell partners there's no need to use a condom.
But that's not safe. For example, about 6 out of 10 young people with HIV
don't know they're infected. So they risk passing the virus, which causes AIDS, on
to others.
Even getting treatment isn't a completely foolproof way to stop STDs from
spreading. Some STDs (like trichomoniasis) can
be treated so they go away, but other infections (like herpes
or HPV) will always
be in a person's body, even if that person has been treated. Plus, if someone
has been treated for an STD like chlamydia
and it goes away, that same person can still get re-infected if exposed
to the STD another time.
Anyone who is planning to have sex, or who has had sex, should be tested for STDs.
And always use condoms for protection — every
time.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
Date reviewed: November 2015