A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is a disease transmitted through sexual contact between two people. They may be transmitted through the exchange of semen, blood, and other body fluids or by direct body contact. The term sexually transmitted disease applies to more than twenty different infections. At one time, these diseases were more commonly referred to as venereal diseases.
Sexually transmitted diseases are often mild infections that can be cleared up with simple medical treatment. If left untreated, however, serious complications can result. These complications include:
Birth defects
Blindness
Bone deformities
Cancer
Heart disease
Infertility
Mental retardation
Death
The majority of these complications develop only when an STD is not treated properly.
