Many of you are probably reading this article thinking that I am going to spit some facts at you that you already know thanks to the health classes and sexual education you received throughout your years in school. Well, you're wrong. As a nursing major, I have learned many many dirty facts about sexually transmitted infections and diseases that I think the general public should be aware of. There are many aspects of sexual education that are left out during these lessons. I'm here to delve into the dirty world of sexually transmitted diseases with you.

1. 1 out of every 4 people will contract Chlamydia in their lifetime, and that rate is rising rapidly.

It is much more common than you think to contract an STD.

2. And even worse, over 50% of those people will not know they have it.

Many people with the STD's Chlamydia and Gonnorhea never experience symptoms, making it nearly impossible for them to be diagnosed right away. Some people may not even experience symptoms for months, and some won't ever experience them.

3. Yes, Chlamydia and Gonnorhea are treatable infections with the administration of antibiotics, but they are not harmless.

If a female has one of these infections for a longer period of time without knowing, which we just learned above is very common, the female can develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. This disease rapidly leads to infertility in females.

4. Although the bacterial infections are the ones most known for causing infertility in women, the viral infections, such as herpes, can cause major birth defects in children born to mothers carrying this disease.

However, unlike infertility, this can be avoided with the use of a cesarean section, where the baby is removed surgically from the mother. Although this is a solution, the procedure also poses risks to the unborn fetus.

5. The stigma behind herpes is related to the social views of herpes rather than the medical.

Clinically, herpes is merely a reoccurring skin rash. It does not account for infertility in women like chlamydia and gonorrhea do, it does not cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.

6. Even though herpes is merely a skin rash, it is also much more easily spread than bacterial infections.

Herpes can be contracted even when using a condom. Skin to skin contact is enough to spread the disease and condoms can not prevent this 100%. HOWEVER, the use of condoms does greatly lower the risk of contracting the infection.

The world of sexual health and sexually transmitted infections/diseases is one that is often avoided at all costs because of the awkwardness around the topic, however, as the rates continue to rise, it is important to bring these issues to light and work with younger generations to get real, hard, facts out there and educate on the prevention and treatment of these infections and diseases.