– Worst case scenario, you could become sterile
Did you know that you can become sterile if you go untreated with a sexually transmitted disease? Protect yourself against STDs - use a condom! 🦠🍆🍑
Illustration: Andrea Skovdahl/studenterspor.no
The statistics for sexually transmitted diseases among young people nowadays are lousy. And it's quite awkward to talk about yellow-green discharge from the penis or vagina, pain in the lower abdomen and testicles, and in the worst case scenario, infertility - meaning you can't have children.
But - this is something we MUST talk about, folks! Because it can be avoided! USE CONDOMS, especially if you have a one-night stand or have a new sexual partner.
The infection comes as a surprise
Mari Nordbø and Silje Listaul are public health nurses at the youth health center at the Midt-Telemark health center in Bø. Here, young people up to the age of 24 can come and get tested for STDs free of charge, which is common practice at youth health centers across the country.
Mari Nordbø and Silje Listaul (left to right) are nurses at the Youth Health Clinic in Midt-Telemark municipality, where young people up to 24 years old can get tested for sexually transmitted infections for free.
In Bø, they experience that chlamydia is the most widespread, but the FHI's figures from 22/23 show that gonorrhea has been spreading rapidly nationwide, especially among women aged 20-29.
- Most people do not have any symptoms of an STD, so it may come as a surprise to them that they have an infection. The most common symptoms for most girls are bleeding disorders and/or changes in discharge. Boys often report symptoms such as burning when urinating and discharge. Usually, girls develop symptoms earlier than boys. In the case of gonorrhea, almost all boys (up to 90 percent) will have symptoms. Symptoms may include painful urination and yellow-green discharge. About 50 percent of girls will have symptoms if they have gonorrhea. They then have similar symptoms to boys. Some boys may experience pain in the epididymis, while girls may experience pain in the lower abdomen with the various STDs, explain Mari Nordbø and Silje Listaul.
Read about symptoms and the various STDs at FHI.
When should you get tested?
- You should get tested when you change sexual partners and when you have symptoms of an STI. More people probably get tested after one night stands than when they get a new boyfriend or girlfriend. If the boyfriend or girlfriend says that they don't have an STD, they probably trust that and don't get tested, say Mari and Silje.
🍆 Find information about STD-testing and free condoms on your campus here.
You can test yourself at the GP and at the youth health station in the municipality. It is FREE to get tested.
There are also a number of self-tests available, for example at the farmacy (these are not for free).
At helsenorge.no you can read more comprehensive information about free tests for sexually transmitted diseases.
No, it shouldn't hurt to get tested.
The testing method depends on what you are being tested for and your gender. Generally, it involves a thin cotton swab inserted into the vagina for women (like a COVID-19 test, just not in the nose) or a urine sample. For men, it's a urine sample for both chlamydia and gonorrhoea. If there is suspicion of transmission through oral sex or anal sex, samples are taken from the throat and rectum (using a cotton swab).
Find many more questions and answers about STDs on Studenter Spør!
Poor knowledge
The public health nurses in Bø report fairly stable figures for testing, but are not super impressed with young people's knowledge about STIs:
– We think they are not very well informed and that their knowledge of STDs is somewhat poor. We find that they take it quite lightly, until the day they are infected. They are usually good at taking responsibility and reporting it to their former partners.
Norway has been the worst in the Nordic region in terms of condom use for a number of years, but according to a recent report from RFSU, we are at least getting better at using condoms, and young people aged 16-20 are the most positive about condoms.
Read more in this article at NRK: Young people are getting better at using condoms
– Our experience is that condoms are quite unpopular among young people. When they drop condoms so easily, there must be a lack of knowledge out there. In addition, chlamydia rates in Norway are stably high, says Mari, and points out that it is particularly important to use condoms with new partners and until both have been tested. It should also always be used if the girl is not on regular contraception, if you don't want to get pregnant.
Pick up or order FREE condoms! 🍆
The most powerful weapon against STDs is THE CONDOM.
The Norwegian Directorate of Health is so concerned about using condoms that it has set aside 4 million kroner to provide free condoms.
Pick up free condoms on campus (in most cases at the SSN office).