Reasons to protect yourself

Whether you’re a girl or a boy, contracting a sexually transmissible infection (STI) can lead to serious problems:

  • Many STIs don’t show any symptoms but the later they’re detected, the more they can cause serious complications.
  • Treatment of an STI may require stopping sexual intercourse for several weeks.

For girls

  • The complications linked to STIs are often more serious for girls than for boys because they affect the reproductive system.
  • Some untreated STIs can cause pains in the lower abdomen and during sexual intercourse.
  • Some types of human papillomavirus (HPV) are associated with cancer of the uterine cervix.
  • During pregnancy, some untreated infections can harm the health of the foetus or the newborn baby or even cause its death.
  • The shape of the female genital organs allows prolonged contact between semen and the vagina and uterine cervix, which increases the risk of contracting an STI.
  • Teenage girls are more at risk of contracting some STIs than older women because their vagina and their uterine cervix are less mature.

For boys

  • Some STIs can cause great pain in the testicles or the prostate.
  • Because boys generally see the health services less than girls, they run the risk of a longer infection period with an STI that doesn’t show any symptoms.
  • Some types of HPV increase the risk of developing cancer of the penis or the anus.

Getting help

To get a screening test

  • Call Info-Santé 8-1-1
  • Talk it over with the nurse in your school or CLSC
  • Talk it over with your doctor

 

For any
other question

Consult Tel-jeunes

Tel-Jeunes Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux