Ballerific Health: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

Imagine going to your routine physical one day and finding out from the doctor that your dream of a family is now physically impossible…

You can’t conceive, not now, or ever. You ask the doctor,  how such a terrible thing could happen, because as far as you know you have pretty good health, not perfect, but definitely no major issues; when he informs you that your dream of a legacy has been destroyed, by a wild night in college.

Allow me to explain: You remember that cute boy you slept with without a condom “just that one time”? He unknowingly gave you chlamydia, and like 15% of other women, you became infertile from not getting treated.  Actually, more than half of all people will have an STD/STI at some point in their lifetime, 20 million of which occur consistently every year (According to ASHA). Many of these STD’s don’t come with any symptoms, and therefore go untreated, until it is a complicated problem, such as infertility. Check out the nasty difficulties that each STD comes with and why it is DETRIMENTAL to know your status and to be honest with all of your sexual partners.

Chlamydia: (Most commonly reported STD in the US, especially amongst 20-24 year olds) Increased risk of contracting HIV. Can cause infertility, miscarriage and pelvic pains in women. Urethritis and infertility in men. Can cause blindness, pneumonia and lung infections to newborns born to an unknowing mother.

Gonorrhea: Increased risk of contracting HIV. Causes fallopian tube scarring, miscarriages and infertility in women. In men, it can cause prostate inflammation, urethra scarring and infertility. Can cause joint infections, blood infections and blindness in infants.

Herpes: 80% of people who have genital Herpes don’t know they have it, it has the ability to lie dormant and unnoticed for years at a time. It’s also incurable YIKES. So besides having it, and being contagious for the rest of your life, it can also cause severe breakouts, the spread of the disease to other body parts, and immune system complications in both men and women.

Hepatitis: Various types, transmitted in various ways, but in general there are no symptoms for years, often going untreated. Because this disease affects the liver, it is to be taken serious. Hepatitis can cause jaundice, liver infection, cirrhosis, liver failure, stroke, kidney failure, hypertension and death.

Syphilis: 1/3 of people with untreated syphilis progress into the third stage, which is when the disease becomes disabling and life threatening. Can cause tumor like balls of inflammation all over the body, large sores, internal bleeding, liver enlargement, loss of motor functions and death.

HIV: 6 out of 10 people with HIV don’t know they have it. It can cause severe weight loss, increased risk of stroke, heart disease, kidney disease osteoporosis and death.

I know people have their own reasons why they can’t get tested, or why they are scared, however if the symptoms above aren’t enough, I’ll try to refute any other possible excuses: A lot of these STD/STI’s can be cured with the help of one simple dose of antibiotic, testing can be done free and confidential in thousands of places, Uber can take you, you don’t have to report it to your insurance, often time’s a clinic will cover the cost of first time treatment, and last but not least IT CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE. I personally get tested three times every year, or every time I change partners. Please, Please, Please, google the nearest clinic and get to know your status.