STD Awareness Month is here, along with the alarming news that sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise. Too many people want to avoid the topic altogether, but public health data show us that there is a hidden STD epidemic in this nation. So what's the inside story on Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)?  CDC estimates 20 million new STD infections occur each year in the United States, costing the healthcare system nearly $16 billion in direct medical costs. There are also now more than 110 million total sexually transmitted infections in U.S. men and women.

For the first time in nearly a decade, rates for three of the most common STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis) all increased at the same time. These infections can threaten immediate and long-term health and well-being. Untreated STDs can lead to reproductive complications such as infertility (inability to get pregnant) and ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the womb). They can also increase a person's risk for getting and giving HIV.

Young people aged 15–24 and gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men continue to be at greatest risk for infection. Why? It's complicated, but we know that individual risk behaviors aren't the only reason. Environmental, social, and cultural factors, including a high level of STDs in these populations and difficulty in accessing quality health care contribute to a higher STD burden.

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Select CDC Resources

• CDC STD Screening Recommendations
• STD Fact Sheets
• STD Treatment Guidelines
• Information for Special Populations