Fast Facts
16,000 US teens are infected with an STI every weekend
1 in 3 teen girls will be pregnant by age 20
Pregnancy can occur any time you have sex
25% of Idaho teens have an STI
Alcohol is the #1 drug used when someone is raped
6 babies are born to teens in Idaho each day
1 in 4 Idaho teens has an STI
Half of U.S. high school students have had sex
1 in 3 teen girls will be pregnant by age 20
25% of new STIs occur in teenagers
15 million new STI cases occur yearly in the US
66% of all STIs occur in people age 25 or younger
6 in 10 U.S. teens wished they’d waited longer to have sex

Sexually Transmitted Infections

STIs can have lifelong physical and psychological consequences. In some cases, if they go untreated, they can cause serious health problems. And yet, the social stigma about STIs keeps many people from talking honestly with their partners – and from getting tested and getting the medical help they need.

STI or STD – What’s the difference?

STD stands for sexually transmitted disease. STI stands for sexually transmitted infection. STI is the broader and more modern term for all diseases and infections that can result from sexual activity. On this web site, we use the term STI.

Exactly what can you “CATCH” by having sex?

There are three groups of STIs: bacterial, viral, and parasites.

Bacterial STIs include gonorrhea and syphilis. These can often be treated and cured if caught early enough.

Viral STIs include HIV, HPV (genital warts), and herpes. They have no cure, but their symptoms can be eased with treatment, and people who have these infections should also take safety measures to reduce the risk of exposing their partners.

Some infections are not “technically” STIs, but they can be spread through close human contact, including sex. The most common ones include:

How do you “catch” an STI?

STIs are transmitted from one partner to another partner through close contact and bodily fluids. This means vaginal fluids, semen, blood and saliva. It’s a common misunderstanding that you have to have sexual intercourse to get an STI –that’s just not true. Any contact with the mouth, genitals and/or anus of a person with an STI, can give the STI to his or her partner.

How do you prevent an STI?

Sexual abstinence (not engaging in sexual activity) is the only reliable way to prevent an STI. If you are sexually active, you can reduce STI risks by always using a latex condom and limiting the number of sexual partners you have. To further reduce your chance of getting an STI it is recommended that you:

How do you know if you have an STI?

Not all STIs include symptoms that are easy to identify; some people don’t see or feel any symptoms at all. That’s one reason STIs are so common – someone can be unaware that they have an infection, and pass it on without realizing it.

So, the only way to know for certain if you’ve been infected is to be tested at a health clinic or doctor’s office.

For more information about protecting yourself from STIs, and about the types and symptoms, testing and treatment, visit www.nakedtruth.idaho.gov

Other sources of STI information: