International Women’s Day: 1 in 3 Women Affected by STDs Globally – Experts Warn of Undiagnosed Cases

Caring for women's health can be overwhelming at times. Women generally have heart problems, problems with their skin, PCOS, and many other issues. One topic that is often overlooked, however, is sexual health. This International Women’s Day, we’re going to touch on a problem many women face but might not know the severity of: sexually transmitted infections (STIs), or vaginal infections.

The World Health Organization states that about 1 out of 3 women suffer from this infection globally. "STIs are predominantly caused by transmission through infected genitals or bodily secretions. Examples of typical penetration methods are sexual intercourse (anal, vaginal, oral), skin contact, mother-to-child transmission during labor and pregnancy, blood transfusion, along with needle sharing," explains Dr. Harpreet Kaur, Senior Consultant - Obstetrics & Gynecology, Manipal Hospital Bhubaneshwar.

One challenge in managing those conditions is that many STDs are a-symptomatic at onset and show symptoms only after seven to eight weeks after exposure, states Dr Kaur. “Some of the symptoms that should raise suspicion include genital itching and fetid discharge, pain during urination, discomfort of the lower abdomen, irregular bleeding from the vagina, or sores around the vulval and anal region.”

Unprotected sexual intercourse has heightened the incidence of STIs.

Dr. Kaur states patients with multiple sexual partners and different sexual activities, even within the same gender, have greatly increased the level of STIs.

Dr. Hwan Kyung Yoo, a more advanced physician who has personally helped some victims, claims that one of the barriers is the societal normalization of poor sexual health, especially for women, which leads them to go undiagnosed and untreated. “These infections can easily be diagnosed with a simple clinical examination which involves taking swabs from the vagina and the urethra, doing a Papanicolau test and cross-match for HIV and syphilis,” argues Dr. Kaur.

Treatment is usually antibiotics or antivirals, depending on the particular infection. Most importantly, she insists in her instructions that women do not wait to have symptoms before seeking medical attention. Whether they have a lingering doubt of former protective measures, several partners are worried or there are signs of pregnancy, the consultation ought to be timely. Preventative measures, which include the regular use of barrier methods (like condoms), routine checkups (once every three years) and getting shots to prevent warts and cervical cancer from HPV, are essential in the reduction of the incidence of STIs for the individual's health and the health of the community.

Dr. Kinjal Avdhut Kothari, Associate Consultant Obstetrics & Gynaecology Manipal Hospital Goa goes further on this and looks at the consequences of STIs that go undiagnosed. She states, “These infections can silently damage the health of women, with the human papillomavirus (HPV) for instance causes infections that can lead to severe gynaecological cancers of the cervix, vulva, and vagina.” Further, Dr. Kothari expresses concern about the social taboos which, indeed, seem to hamper women to seek medical services. “To foster prompt diagnosis and treatment, we really need to lift the taboos and talk freely around sexual health,” she said.

Comprehensive public health campaigns, particularly those targeting gynecologic cancers, have sought to increase awareness for routine STI screening, which includes Pap smear testing. As she pointed out, “There is a need for a collaborative, multisectoral approach to healthcare that integrates different providers at the policy and community level with the objective of ensuring outreach and education to women everywhere, especially in low-resourced settings.” She even emphasizes the importance of preventing health complications later in life by implementing HPV vaccination programs for children and adolescents.

All of these three experts wonderfully capture the reality of our time which calls for not only retroactive, but also proactive sexual health management. Through the creation of relevant public education campaigns, stigma support, early screening, and adoption of preventative measures, not only can the risk of contracting STIs be significantly mitigated, but women can also do their part in addressing the stigma.

Read More: Liver Detox Teas: Trendy Wellness or Hidden Health Risk?