Young people are failing to listen to warnings about sexually transmitted infections according to a new report, and this could mean more fertility problems in the future.
The Health Protection Agency's latest report on the UK's sexual health shows that there has been an increase in sexually transmitted infections amongst young adults. Women under 20 and men under 25 seem to be at particularly high risk, and the increase suggests that safe sex campaigns to encourage young people to use condoms are falling on deaf ears. Ten percent of young adults tested positive for chlamydia, and there were rises in some other sexually transmitted infections.
There is growing awareness that chlamydia has long-term risks for fertility, but it's not the only infection which can cause problems. Gonorrhea also affects fertility, and syphilis can be particularly dangerous in pregnancy, damaging babies and leading to miscarriage or still birth. Young adults don't always realise that taking a risk may not just affect their immediate future, but can have implications for the rest of their lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment