Training of Roma Health Mediators in Reproductive Health

• The sexual act can be vaginal, anal, or oral (the vagina, penis, rectum, and mouth
provide the ideal environment through which STI germs can invade the body)
• In some cases, STIs are transmitted via genital-to-genital contact but without
penetration.
• Some STIs are spread also by others body fluids, like blood and mother’s milk.
‣ Can you tell if a person has a STI by looking at them?
Usually you cannot tell. Some STIs have symptoms. Others have no symptoms or the
symptoms may not show up for a long time.
For example, a person infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, may look perfectly
healthy for many years but can still infect others with the virus.
‣ If a person with a STI does have symptoms, what might he or she notice?
• A strange discharge or smell from the penis or vagina
• Pain or burning while urinating
• Pain during sex
• Itching or pain on or near the genitals
• Sores, blisters, rashes, swelling, or growths around the genitals which may hurt or
may not hurt
• Swollen and painful lymph glands in the groin
• Changes in menstrual bleeding, e.g. very little bleeding or heavy bleeding (in women)
Remind participants of the characteristics of a normal vaginal secretion in different stages
of the menstrual cycle, and explain that it is important to learn how to differentiate
between normal and abnormal vaginal discharge.
• Normal vaginal discharge consists of clear mucus discharge from the cervix
which increases in quantity and becomes thin and slimy at the time ovulation, or
at mid-cycle. The clear fluid from the walls of the vagina increases more during
sexual excitement and emotional stress. It has normal body odor.
• Abnormal discharge has unpleasant smell, unusual color and consistency and it
usually causes irritation and soreness and soreness in genital area.
Summarize STI transmission with the following points:
• Anyone can get a STI if they have sex with an infected person, as the exercise
demonstrated. It doesn’t matter who they are.
o Caring and loving people, clean and educated people, very wealthy people can
all get STIs.
o Both men and women can get STIs.
o A person can get an STI even after a single unprotected sexual act with an
infected partner. The more a person has sexual intercourse with one or more
infected partners, the more likely he/she is to get infected.
o No one is immune to STIs
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RFHI/JSI Romania Training of RHMs in Reproductive Health Session 10: STIs