Topic > Sexually transmitted diseases and their influence on women

Women are biologically more likely to become infected than men when exposed to a sexually transmitted pathogen. Many sexually transmitted diseases are transmitted more easily from man to woman than from woman to man. For example, a woman's risk of contracting gonorrhea from a single act of intercourse with an infected male partner could be as high as 60-90%, while transmission from an infected woman to a man is approximately 20-30%. Say no to plagiarism. . Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssaySTDs are often asymptomatic in women, especially gonorrhea and chlamydia. For example, in women with gonorrhea, 30 to 80% are asymptomatic, while less than 5% of men are asymptomatic. Similarly, as many as 85% of women with chlamydia infection are asymptomatic compared to 40% of those infected. When an STI is suspected, it is often more difficult to diagnose it in a woman because the anatomy of the female genital tract makes the clinical examination more difficult. For example, a urethral swab and Gram stain are sufficient to assess the possibility of gonorrhea in men, but a cervical speculum examination and culture specific for gonorrhea were required for women. Therefore, women with gonorrhea or chlamydia infection are often not diagnosed with an STI until complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, occur. According to the article “Disproportionate Impact of STDs on Women” published by the CDC, women are at a higher risk of acquiring STIs due to social norms and constructs. Culturally, men are said to be expected to have multiple sexual partners, including prostitutes, without risking judgment from their social peers, while women may feel they could be abused if they refused sex or asked for protection. This behavior actually puts women at a greater risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in young adults and women under 25 are at greater risk of contracting an STI for several reasons. The main one is that they are more likely to have unprotected sex with multiple partners. Additionally, young people are at greater risk for substance abuse and other factors that contribute to increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Although overall rates of Gonorrhea have been decreasing in the general population for over a decade; this decrease was less pronounced among adolescents than in other age groups. Chlamydial infection has been consistently high among young adults; in some studies, up to 30-40% of sexually active adolescent females have been infected. Women are more likely to get the infection than men due to greater cervical ectopy. Cervical ectopia refers to columnar cells, is located on the external surface of the cervix. Although this is normal in adolescent and young women, these cells are more susceptible to infection. The higher prevalence of STDs among adolescents may also be due to difficulty in accessing STD prevention and management services, such as lack of transportation, long wait times, clinic hours conflicting with school, embarrassment related to seeking STI services, a method of.