Teaching Teens About Genital Herpes And The Importance Of Prevention And Contraception

If you are a teen who is thinking of becoming sexually active or already has started having sex, it's important to talk with your physician about STD’s.

STDs can be spread (during anal, oral, or vaginal sex) and that these infections often don't have symptoms, so a partner might have an STD without knowing it. It can be difficult to talk about STDs, but just as with any other medical issue, teens need this information to stay safe and healthy. Provide the facts, and let your child know where you stand.

If you’re a parent of a teen who is thinking of becoming sexually active or already has started having sex, it's important to talk with your physician about STD’s.

Genital Herpes and Teenagers and Young Adults

Anyone who is sexually active can get genital herpes. You may get genital herpes if you have sex with an infected person. You can also get genital herpes if you have oral sex with someone who has cold sores. You can still be infected even if your partner doesn’t have an open sore, or any signs or symptoms of genital herpes.

Herpes is spread through skin-to-skin contact. It can be spread from one part of the body to another, such as from the genitals to the fingers, to the eyes or other parts of the body. Herpes can also be spread from a mother to her baby when she gives birth.

Results of a recent, nationally representative study show that genital herpes infection is common in the United States. Nationwide, 45 million people ages 12 and older, or one out of five of the total adolescent and adult population, is infected with HSV-2. HSV-2 infection is more common in women (approximately one out of four women) than in men (almost one out of five). Prevalence is increasing most dramatically among young white teens; HSV-2 prevalence among 12- to 19-year-old whites is now five times higher than it was 20 years ago. And young adults ages 20 to 29 are now twice as likely to have HSV-2.

It's also important that all teens have regular full physical exams — which can include screening for STDs. Your teen may want to see a gynecologist or a specialist in adolescent medicine to talk about sexual health issues. Community health organizations and sexual counseling centers in your local area also may be able to offer some guidance.

Prevention:

Teenagers and young adults need to talk with their physician about birth control to prevent pregnancy. It is important that young women avoid contracting herpes during pregnancy, because a first episode during pregnancy creates a greater risk of transmission to the newborn. If a woman has active genital herpes at delivery, a cesarean-section delivery is usually performed. Fortunately, infection of an infant is rare among women with HSV-2 infection. In the United States, HSV-2 may play a major role in the heterosexual spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Herpes can make people more susceptible to HIV infection, and can make HIV-infected individuals more infectious.

To prevent the spread of genital herpes the consistent and correct use of latex condoms is the best protection. However, condoms do not provide complete protection, because a herpes lesion may not be covered by the condom and viral shedding may occur. If you or your partner has genital herpes, it is best to abstain from sex when symptoms are present, and to use latex condoms between outbreaks.

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Teaching Teens About Genital Herpes And The Importance Of Prevention And Contraception

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