If you are looking for an answer to your question on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or reproductive and sexual health issues, ASHA has the answers. Our panel of experts—including physicians, nurse practitioners, and other professionals with experience across a range of medical and health specialties—will provide answers and insight a wide range of STI and sexual health topics. See all questions on: Sexual health Relationships Reproductive Health/Pregnancy STDs/STIs Herpes HPV HIV/AIDS You can connect ... Continue Reading
Books & More
ASHA offers high-quality patient education materials on a wide range of sexually transmitted infections(STIs). We are recognized by the public, patients, and providers for developing and delivering accurate, medically reliable information about sexually transmitted infections. Public and college health clinics across the United States order ASHA's educational pamphlets and books to give to clients and students. Community-based organizations depend on ASHA, too, to help communicate about risk, transmission, prevention, testing, and ... Continue Reading
Herpes
The Herpes Resource Center (HRC) focuses on increasing education, public awareness, and support to anyone concerned about herpes. Since its formation in 1979, the HRC has helped over five million people. The HRC is here for you! The HRC offers: Accurate and up-to-date information about herpes Source for referrals such as local support groups Voice to increase public awareness about herpes issues through the media Advocate for responsible national policies for STD treatment and prevention Understanding Herpes with H. Hunter ... Continue Reading
Herpes
Visit our Ask the Experts service to view more questions or to learn how to ask one of your own (there is no charge to browse and a $25 fee to post a question). I have had genital herpes since I was a teen-ager. I’m in my 30s now and pregnant with my first child; is my baby at risk? I’m terrified about giving my baby herpes! Is it possible for the herpes simplex 1 to turn into the herpes simplex II? Is it possible to test negative for both types and then test positive a few months later, even without an outbreak? What about having a ... Continue Reading
Herpes Signs and Symptoms
While some people realize that they have genital herpes, many do not. It is estimated that one in five persons in the United States has genital herpes; however, as many as 90 percent are unaware that they have the virus. This is because many people have very mild symptoms that go unrecognized or are mistaken for another condition or no symptoms at all. Because signs can vary a great deal, we recommend that an individual see a healthcare provider to be tested if they have a lesion of any kind. This can be swabbed for a culture test or for ... Continue Reading
Herpes: Resources for Healthcare Providers
The Herpes Testing Toolkit Genital herpes is a common viral infection, but it can be easily misdiagnosed and is often underdiagnosed. Clinicians can best serve their patients by using the correct laboratory test to provide a clear diagnosis along with providing education, reassurance, appropriate antiviral therapy, and resources for additional information and emotional support as needed. The Herpes Testing Toolkit offers providers summary of evidence-based information and expert opinion about testing and diagnosing genital herpes. This ... Continue Reading
HIV/AIDS
Do you have a question about HIV/AIDS that you’d like to ask our experts? Email us and then check back to see if your question has been chosen. Please note that not all questions will be selected. I just visited your website (it’s great, by the way!) and saw your notice about an HIV Awareness Day for Women and Girls. As a woman I never really thought of myself as being at great risk for HIV, but the fact there’s a “National Day” for it makes me wonder. How big a problem is this for females? How accurate is a negative HIV test after 40 ... Continue Reading
Links
We hope you find the organizations referenced below helpful in providing additional information. ASHA cannot guarantee that these resources will be able to answer all of your questions. For specific medical inquiries, always consult a healthcare provider. Herpes University of Washington Virology Research Clinic Westover Heights Herpes Clinic Herpes Handbook HPV and Cervical Cancer American Cancer Society American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology CDC's HPV Vaccine Information Sheet National Cervical Cancer ... Continue Reading
Our Experts
James Allen, MD, MPH James R. Allen is a former President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA). During his career, Dr. Allen has held key positions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services, as well as with a number of other organizations, including the American Medical Association serving as Vice President for Science, Medical Technology, and Public Health. He has participated extensively in ... Continue Reading
Personal Stories
Do you have experiences relating to sexual health that you would be willing to share with others? Concerns? Triumphs? Challenges? Advice? We (and other visitors to our site) want to hear from you. Read the stories below to see what others are saying. You probably have insights that others would benefit from hearing, and we encourage you to share your story with us. ASHA sincerely appreciates all submissions and each is confidential and anonymous. It is ASHA's intent to collect these comments for use in our patient advocacy work. All ... Continue Reading
Position Statements
ASHA publishes Position Statements on emerging issues in health policy as part of its advocacy work. These statements are intended to reflect the perspective of Americans affected by sexually transmitted infections and outline the key reasoning and evidence behind ASHA's recommendations. ... Continue Reading
Relationships
The best way for couples to deal with herpes is to talk about it openly and make decisions together. So what’s the best way to start the conversation? There’s no one, single approach that works best for all people, but there are some guidelines that can help make this easier. Do Ask, Do Tell By disclosing your infection to your partner, you’re not only establishing a tone of trust—good for any healthy relationship—but you’re also taking an important step to reduce transmission. According to one study of discordant couples (where one partner ... Continue Reading
Sex+Health Podcast
ASHA's Sex+Health podcast covers all aspects of sexual health. Featuring interviews with medical professionals and experts in the field of sexuality, Sex+Health aims to offer information and resources to with the goal of helping people take charge of their sexual health and understand its importance to overall well being. Listen to episodes here or subscribe on iTunes. HPV Tests Take Center Stage October 4,2019 It used to be so simple: go for an annual Pap! The venerable Pap is now frequently used as a co-test along with a test for the ... Continue Reading
Share Your Story
Do you have experiences relating to sexual health that you would be willing to share with others? Concerns? Triumphs? Challenges? Advice? We (and other visitors to our site) want to hear from you. Read the stories below to see what others are saying. You probably have insights that others would benefit from hearing, and we encourage you to share your story with us. ASHA sincerely appreciates all submissions and each is confidential and anonymous. It is ASHA's intent to collect these comments for use in our patient advocacy work. All ... Continue Reading
Site Use and Privacy
For any concerns about the site use and privacy policy, or to make any updates to your information with the American Sexual Health Association, contact us at info@ashasexualhealth.org or via the contact information below. American Sexual Health Association P.O. Box 13827 Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 (919) 361-8400 This notice describes ASHA's Site Use and Privacy Policy, including how we collect information from you or about you, why we collect this information, how we will use or disclose this information, and how you ... Continue Reading
STIs
Do you have a question about sexually transmitted infections that you'd like to ask our experts? Email us and then check back to see if your question has been chosen. Please note that not all questions will be selected. After having lots of pain when I’d urinate, I was worried I might have something like gonorrhea so I went to my clinic and was diagnosed with Mycoplasma genitalium. What is it? I never heard of it! How do you get it? Does it go away? What can it do to you? As a gay man I hear a lot about testing for HIV and hepatitis; ... Continue Reading
Support groups
Support groups provide information and allow participants to share experiences, fears, and feelings with others who are concerned about herpes. The groups listed here are not sponsored or endorsed by ASHA, and are entirely responsible for their activities and the content of their websites. For information on obtaining written publications on the herpes simplex virus, visit our online store or call ASHA's Customer Service Line at (800) 783-9877, M-F, 8am-6pm, ET. ASHA's Herpes Resource Center (HRC) provides information and support to ... Continue Reading
Support Groups
Support groups provide information and allow participants to share experiences, fears, and feelings with others who are concerned about HPV. The groups listed here are not sponsored or endorsed by ASHA, and are entirely responsible for their activities and the content of their websites. For information on obtaining written publications on HPV, call ASHA's Customer Service line at (800) 783-9877, M-F, 8am-6pm, ET. ASHA's National Cervical Cancer Coalition also provides support to women and caregivers that are searching for information on ... Continue Reading
Who We Are
ASHA was founded in 1914 in New York City, formed out of early 20th century social reform movements focused on fighting sexually transmitted infections (known then as venereal disease, or VD) and prostitution. Now, more than 100 years after its creation, ASHA remains America's nonprofit authority for sexual health information. Our mission The American Sexual Health Association promotes the sexual health of individuals, families and communities by advocating sound policies and practices and educating the public, professionals and policy ... Continue Reading
Working with ASHA
At ASHA, we strive to obtain client-centered solutions for all our customers and funders. Our goal is to build strong relationships and clearly understand the needs of those who we serve so we can fully apply our technical expertise and extensive capabilities in order to provide well-balanced and suitable services. ASHA offers a full range of services outlined on our What We Do page. ASHA is a trusted non-governmental organization dedicated to the prevention and control of sexually transmitted disease through information and support ... Continue Reading
Celebrating Sexual Health in September
The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) is launching its annual World Sexual Health Day observance on September 4th, and the theme for the 2018 observation is Sexual Health and Sexual Rights are FUNDAMENTAL for well-being. Throughout September ASHA will offer expanded sexual health resources that include fact sheets, interviews, and perspectives on sexual health from a diverse group of voices in the field. Understanding Sexual Health What exactly is sexual health? We believe sexual health must go beyond traditional views of simply ... Continue Reading
Experts Suggest Little to Worry about in Study Linking HSV2 and Autism
CNN and other outlets have run articles on a recently published paper linking high levels of antibody to herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2, the main cause of genital herpes) in pregnant women with an increased risk their baby will later be found to have autism. The authors of the paper believe the potential link isn’t that the virus interacts directly with the fetus, but could be due to an inflammatory response HSV2 causes in the mother that may ultimately interfere with the development of the baby’s nervous system. The response to these ... Continue Reading
HSV Rates Dropping
Rates of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) dipped between 1999 and 2016 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among those in the U.S. ages 14-49 the prevalence of HSV-2 in 2016 (all of those with HSV-2 in the age range being studied) was 12%, down from 18% in 1999. Approximately 1 in 8 individuals in this age group have HSV-2, which is almost always experienced as a genital infection. Most individuals with genital herpes are undiagnosed and not aware they have the virus. HSV-1 prevalence ... Continue Reading
New Research Highlights the Need for Improved Herpes Diagnostics
A paper published ahead of print in Sexually Transmitted Diseases finds that commercial blood tests commonly used to diagnose herpes simplex virus (HSV) are frequently not reliable, especially in those with "low positive" results. Herpes detection in people without symptoms typically involves a blood test to find HSV-specific antibodies that the immune system produces in response to the virus. Results with these tests (known as enzyme-linked immunoassays or EIA) are reported as an index value where the antibody levels are measured. An index ... Continue Reading
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Awareness Month
#STDMonth19 Each April ASHA recognizes STD Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): • There are 20 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases (also referred to as sexually transmitted infections) in the U.S. every year • The medical costs for these new cases are $16 billion • Adding the new cases each year with existing infection, there are an estimated 110 million total STDs among Americans. People may not know they have an STD because many do not have symptoms, and they can cause ... Continue Reading
Sexually Transmitted Infections Awareness Month
Each April, ASHA recognizes STD Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): There are 20 million new STI cases in the U.S. every year The medical costs for these new cases are $16 billion Adding the new cases each year with existing infection, there are an estimated 110 million total STIs among Americans STDs are common, but people may not know they have an STD because many don't have symptoms. But left undetected and untreated, STDs can cause serious health consequences. For example, chlamydia ... Continue Reading