Nature hasn’t exactly been very generous to women. We are cursed with the hassles of mood swings, hormonal fluctuations, menstrual cycles, childbirth and labour pains. Our unique anatomy also makes us more susceptible to illnesses as compared to our male counterparts. For instance, we are more prone to heart diseases, osteoporosis, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and certain cancers. We are also more at risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, AIDS, herpes and gonorrhoea. A disproportionate number of women every year have to deal with the long-term consequences of various STDS. Read why it’s heartbreaking to be a woman with HIV in India. Untreated STD can result in infertility and infant death in pregnant women. Although testing and treatment facilities have improved in the recent years by leaps and bounds, that still doesn’t free women from the burden of venereal diseases. Here are seven reasons why women are more susceptible to STD.
1. Unique anatomy
Women’s anatomy puts her at more risk than her partner. The lining of a woman’s vagina is thinner and more delicate than the skin on the penis. It is easier for venereal disease-causing pathogens to break into the female genitalia than the male. The moist environment of the female genitals also makes it a perfect breeding ground for the proliferation of bacteria.
2. Less likely to have symptoms
Women are less likely to show symptoms of common STD like chlamydia and gonorrhoea as compared to men. Unfortunately, in some cases, the symptoms– even if they are present — may go away, but the infection may still stay.
3. May delay treatment
It’s not uncommon for women’s genitals to have some kind of discharge, unlike men. So it is possible that women may confuse the symptoms of STDs with something else and may think it’s a yeast infection instead. Also, the lesions, warts or ulcers that appear on the vulva may be difficult to notice, because some areas of the female genitalia are obscured. This may cause them to delay treatment.
5. Health complications
Untreated STDs may result in health complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to infertility and ectopic pregnancies. Chlamydia, an STD caused by the bacteria trachomatis, ends up affecting women more than it does men. Men face fewer complications than women.
6. STDs transferred to children
Women with STDs also transfer diseases like genital herpes, syphilis and HIV to their children during pregnancy. Complications of STDs on babies include stillbirth, low birth weight, brain damage, blindness and deafness.
7. More risk from HPV
Women are at risk of contracting HPV or human papillomavirus, notorious for causing cervical cancer. Strangely, while HPV is common in men who end up transferring the virus to women, females are the ones to develop serious problems from HPV.
Source: Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention
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