What increases your risk for an STD or your risk for problems?

Content provided by Healthwise

What increases your risk for an STD or your risk for problems?

Do you have any of the following high-risk behaviors? If you do, you may be more likely to become infected with a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Your risk for an STD increases if you:

• Have unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse without male or female condom use, except in a long-term, single-partner (monogamous) relationship.
• Have unprotected mouth-to-genital contact, except in a long-term monogamous relationship.
• Have early sexual activity, especially before age 18.
• Have multiple sex partners.
• Have a high-risk partner (one who has multiple sex partners).
• Have sex with a partner who injects or has ever injected drugs.

Many conditions, lifestyles, medications, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your health professional.

Conditions

• History of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
• History of infertility
• History of ectopic pregnancy
• History of abnormal Pap test

Lifestyles

• Use of an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD). Use of an IUD does not increase your risk of developing an STD but does increase your risk of developing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) if you get an STD.
• Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
• Drug abuse or withdrawal, especially injected drugs
• Smoking or other tobacco use
• Poor or limited access to health care
• A childhood history of family problems may increase the risk of STDs, such as:
  • Physical abuse.
  • Emotional abuse.
  • Sexual abuse.
  • Domestic violence in household.
  • Substance abuse in household.
  • Mental illness in household.
  • Family member in prison.

Medications

• Blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Medications to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Medications used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
• Radiation therapy

Diseases

• Cancer
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Hemophilia
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
• Kidney disease
• Lupus
• Malnutrition or an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa
• Mental health problems or diseases

Credits

Last updated:	February 09, 2007
Author:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH - Infectious Disease
Editors:	Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC, Tracy Landauer