Welcome to the LVA Village

Sexual & Reproductive Health

Discussion Time

What would you have wanted to know?

How can we engage, equip, & empower, our young people to have the knowledge we wanted?

Always the starting point!
Relationship Ingredients:

SAFE

TRUSTING

TIME TOGETHER

RESPECTFUL

CONSENSUAL

STI Worksheet

What are they?

• Infections passed from person to person through sexual contact

• An infection is when a bacteria, virus, or parasite enters and grows in or on your body

• Some can be cured, and some can’t (for those that can’t, there are medicines to manage the symptoms)

• AKA sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

Bacterial STIs

Symptoms

Often no symptoms.

However, may notice:

pain when urinating
an unusual discharge from the vagina or penis
pain and/or bleeding during sex (women)
painful/swollen testicles (men)

Consequences

If not treated, may affect fertility and cause other health problems

Chlamydia
Gonorrhea
Syphilis

Treatment for bacterial STIs is antibiotics

Viral STIs

Genital Warts & Genital Herpes:

Symptoms

Often there are no symptoms in the first stages. However, it can lead to blistery sores on genitals and surrounding area; itching and pain when urinating as the infection progresses.
There are certain types of HPV that cause Genital Warts and some types that can cause cervical cancer and other types of cancers.
Vaccinations against certain types of HPV are available

How are they passed on?

Sexual activity and skin contact

Treatment

There’s no cure for viral STIs BUT symptoms can be treated. Treatment for symptoms varies according to the virus.

Antiviral tablets can be taken to reduce symptoms but are not a cure.

Genital Warts
Genital Herpes
HPV - human papillomavirus

Bacterial vs Viral

Bacterial

Can be treated and cured through antibiotics

Untreated infections can cause infertility and further health complications

Viral

There are no cures
Medication available to treat symptoms only
Can have long-term effects

HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Passed on by

sexual activity
sharing needles for injecting drugs
from mother to baby
spread through the following body fluids:
blood, vaginal fluid, semen, breast milk

Consequences

If untreated or if treatment stops being effective HIV becomes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

People don’t die from AIDS they die because of what AIDS has done to their immune system.

Prevention:

Taking PrEP before being exposed to HIV means there’s enough drug inside you to block HIV if it gets into your body.
PEP (sometimes called PEPSE) is a combination of HIV drugs that can stop the virus taking hold. It can be used after the event if you've been at risk of HIV transmission.

Treatment:

Anti-HIV drugs are sometimes called combination therapy because people usually take three different drugs simultaneously – often combined into one tablet.

It's also known as antiretroviral therapy (ART), or highly active antiretroviral therapy - HAART for short.

Fungal Infections

In-balance of good and bad bacteria in the genital area – causes irritation and discharge
Commonly caused by the use of over-perfumed products
Can be passed through sexual activity BUT in most cases unrelated to sex

Treatment: creams, pessaries or pills can be bought over the counter.

Thrush/Yeast Infection

Parasitic

Pubic lice – spread through close body contact
Scabies – caused by mites which spread through close body contact
Trichomoniasis – T.V. (Trichomonas vaginalis) parasite causes infection in a man’s urethra and a woman’s vagina or urethra

Treatment - prescribed ointments or lotions, T.V. is treated with antibiotics

How do I protect myself?

MOST EFFECTIVE - Delaying sex or no sexual activity

SECOND MOST EFFECTIVE - Faithful relationship with one uninfected partner using barrier contraception

THIRD MOST EFFECTIVE - Correct and consistent use of condoms

Reasons to delay sexual activity:

how often do we actively engage in this topic from a place of empowerment rather than fear?

I don’t want to be drunk when I have sex. I want to know what I am doing.

I want to be sure that my partner loves me.

I want to keep sex for the person I am going to spend the rest of my life with.

I want to keep sex for when I get married.

I want to know I can trust my partner before I have sex with them.

I don’t like the person.

I don’t want to feel used or abused if the relationship breaks up.

I want to make sure I can handle the emotional side of sex before getting involved.

I don’t want to risk getting an STI.

I want to be able to talk to my partner about our relationship before I have sex with them.

I want to be sure that I fully understand what could happen and be prepared and able to take responsibility for any consequences.

Preventing Unintended Pregnancy

I don’t think I’m alone in saying that when it comes to our heterosexual daughters our focus seems to be ‘PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCY AT ALL COSTS?’ Especially if you were a teenage Mum like I was. Of course, it’s not great if a boy creates an unintended pregnancy, but let’s face it our society and the physiological, emotional, and mental experiences are extremely different.

The first question I had to ask myself was “Where does that come from?” is it shame (external, what people will think)? Or is it fear of your child missing out on those life experiences (internal)?

My own journey has been a complex one; my daughter became a teenage parent and the emotional complexities of wanting to be the best mother and grandmother I can be, whilst also feeling a little like I’d failed and sad my daughter would experience the complexities and challenges of being a teenage mum in our society were overwhelming at times. But ultimately it has been a blessing, and she is happy!

I guess my point is – if you were a teen mum and you have a daughter – don’t let the ‘please don’t get pregnant’ mindset stop you from laying all the foundations of previous sessions.

Your relationship is always the most important thing!

Female Contraception

Combined Pill

The combined pill intends to prevent the release of eggs from the ovaries (ovulation) as part of the monthly cycle. The combined pill also thickens cervical mucus, which makes it more difficult for sperm to move through the cervix.

Female Contraception

Mini Pill

Progestogen-only pill (POP) prevents pregnancy by thickening the mucus in the cervix to stop sperm from reaching an egg. The pill needs to betaken every day at a regular time. There is no break between packs of pills.

Female Contraception

Contraceptive Implant

A small flexible plastic rod that's placed under the skin in the upperarm by a doctor or nurse. It releases the hormone progestogen into the bloodstream to prevent pregnancy and lasts for 3 years.

Female Contraception

Intrauterine System

An IUS (Mirena) coil is a small, T-shaped plastic device that's inserted into the uterus by a doctor or nurse. It releases the hormone progestogen to prevent pregnancy and it lasts for 3 to 5 years.

Emergency Contraception

Emergency contraceptive pill (Levonelle or ellaOne)

Can prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or if the contraception used has failed, e.g. a condom has split or a combined pill has been missed. Levonelle has to be taken within 72 hours (three days) of sex and EllaOne can be taken within 120 hours (five days) of sex.

Discussion Topics

Options Available:

Continue the pregnancy
Continue the pregnancy and arrange for an adoption
Terminate the pregnancy – this stops the embryo/fetus from developing and the pregnancy will end

The Wider Discussion: