STI’s (sexually transmitted infections) and abortion don’t mix. In fact, if you have an abortion with an STI present, you put your health at risk for a very specific disease. Keep reading to learn more about it and how to keep yourself safe.
what is an sti?
An STI (also called an STD) is an infection that can happen after sex of any kind. They can appear in your vagina, anus, mouth, or penis. They are passed most often in bodily fluids like semen, saliva, blood, and urine. STI’s are a serious medical condition that should never be ignored because they are highly contagious and put your long-term health at risk.
There are many different types of STIs and they all have varying symptoms. The most common STI symptoms are discharge, burning, and itching around your genital area. However, different STI’s have different symptoms, so it’s important to be informed of what are possible warning signs. It’s also critical to note that many STI’s don’t have symptoms – so you might have one and not even know it.
what are the types of sti’s?
The most common types of STI’s are:
- Gonorrhea
- Chlamydia
- Genital Herpes
- Genital Warts
- Hepatitis B
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
- HIV/AIDS
- Public Lice
- Syphilis
- Trichomoniasis
- Vaginitis
How Common are sti’s?
The short answer: very common. The CDC estimates that 25 million Americans have an STI each year. Specifically, there were 2.5 million cases of Gonorrhea and Chlamydia in 2021.
However, roughly 60% of people don’t have any symptoms when they test positive for an STI.
Do condoms prevent sti’s?
While condoms do help to reduce the risk of getting an STI during sex, they don’t completely protect you.
What are the complications?
Not treating your STI can have serious, long term consequences for your health. Some of the complications of an untreated STI are:
- Syphilis can lead to organ and nervous system damage
- HIV can lead to AIDS
- Infertility
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Abortion and STI’s
If you have an STI and an abortion, you are at risk for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). PID is a serious condition that happens when the uterus is opened and the STI gets pushed up into the uterus by accident. The infection then settles into your uterus and can cause chronic pelvic pain, infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and tubo-ovarian abscesses.
get tested here
Before taking the abortion pill, it’s important to know if you have an STI. We offer STI tests for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia at zero-cost with every positive pregnancy test. You health and safety is our goal. It’s our priority.
Schedule your confidential appointment for a pregnancy test with our registered nurses, and get all the info you need for your health and safety before and abortion.