April is STD Awareness Month
#STDMonth20 Each April ASHA recognizes STD Awareness Month. This year’s observation – like most things – is set against a backdrop where COVID-19 dominates our thoughts. Spring has sprung but dating and sex aren’t quite the same when social distancing has us mentally calculating imaginary six foot barriers all around us! Read on for all […]
February is National Condom Month
What are condoms? Condoms are an effective barrier method that protect against STD/STIs. They are available over the counter at drug stores and some grocery stores. Some health departments have free condoms. Top Ten Reasons to Use a Condom (EVERY time) 10. Condoms give you control over your body and can help protect your health. […]
Be an ASHA Ambassador!
JOIN THE MOVEMENT Are you active on Facebook? Twitter? Pinterest? In the blogosphere? Then you can be part of the movement to improve sexual health! We hear it all the time – people today want to do something to create positive change in the world, but they’re unsure about how to get started. You have […]
FDA Approves Two Dose Schedule for HPV Vaccine
Kids and young teens can now be protected against HPV with just two doses of vaccine instead of three—incentive to get vaccinated early! On October 12, 2016 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a 2-dose schedule for Merck’s Gardasil-9® HPV vaccine for males and females ages 9-14. Gardasil® 9® covers protects against 9 types […]
Rolling Back Federal Protections for Transgender Students
In late February, the Trump administration revoked federal guidelines that require schools to allow transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice rather than the one corresponding to the gender listed on their birth certificate. ASHA president and CEO Lynn B. Barclay points out that while laws remain in place that protect transgender students […]
Resources for Parents
Answer: Answer is a national organization dedicated to providing and promoting comprehensive sexuality education to young people and the adults who teach them. Advocates for Youth, Parents Sex Ed Center: Information and resources to begin talking with your children about sex. Includes sections on Growth and Development, Getting Started: Helping Parents and Children Talk, Other […]
HPV – Human Papilomavirus
HPV and genital warts HPV, or human papillomavirus, is the name of a group of viruses that has more than 100 different types. HPV is sometimes called the wart virus because some types of HPV cause warts on the hands, feet or genitals. Some other types (that don’t cause warts) can turn into cancer over […]
Ask the expert: Could I have an STI? Is this herpes?
Trying to figure out what symptoms mean can really make people nervous, because some of the symptoms of herpes and other STIs seem the same. This makes it all the more important that you visit a health care provider if you think you have an STI.
Pelvic inflammatory disease
PID Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) of the female reproductive system. PID is usually caused when another STI—such as chlamydia or gonorrhea—is left untreated. If you have one of these two infections and don’t do anything to get rid of them, you are much more likely to […]
HPV is linked to both cancer and genital warts —Get vaccinated!
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is the most common STI in the United States, but most people don’t know they have it or that they can spread the virus to a partner. Approximately 79 million Americans are infected with HPV.
