The Lingo
All the terms you need to know regarding sex, STDs, abstinence and more!
abstinence - avoiding sexual activity until in a mutually-monogamous marriage relationship
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome - A disease, caused by the virus, HIV, that compromises the immune system so that the body cannot fight off infections. Eventually leads to death.
Acyclovir - A medication prescribed to suppress the symptoms of Herpes symplex viruses. This is not a cure.
AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
anal sex - anal intercourse committed by a man with a man or woman
antibiotics - drugs given to cure bacterial infection. Cannot be used to cure viral infections
antibodies - natural substances found in the lymph system that are produced when a person gets an infection. First line of defense against subsequent infections with the same microbe.
arthritis - inflammation of a joint or joints
bacterial - relating to or caused by bacteria
bacterium - small, cellular organisms, often responsible for causing disease; can be treated with antibiotics
bodily fluids - in this case, blood, semen, vaginal secretions, saliva and breast milk: the five predominate fluids through which sexually transmitted diseases are passed from person to person.
candidiasis - commonly called yeast infection or thrush; best known as the most common cause of vaginal irritation of vaginitis but can also involve other mucous membranes.
cervix - the place where the uterus joins with the top end of the vagina.
chancres - a small hard painless nodule at the site of entry of a pathogen (as Syphilis)
Chlamydia - a sexually-transmitted bacterial infection, affecting over 3 million people in the US every year
consistently and correctly - terminology used in condoms research and sales, describing perfect use of condoms: according to the manufacturer's instructions, every single time you have sex
contract passive -
an uninfected receives
an infection from an infected person
dormant non-symptomatic stage of infection; not active but
capable of becoming active
ectopic pregnancy - implantation of fertilized egg in a place other than the uterus--often the fallopian tubes
ejaculation - the discharge of semen in males
genitalia - external sex organ
Gonorrhea - a sexually-transmitted bacterial infection
gynecologist - a physician specializing in female reproductive health
hemorrhage - flow of blood from a ruptured blood vessels
Hepatitis B - a sexually-transmitted viral disease that causes acute and chronic liver disease. Typically, this disease is blood borne.
Herpes - a sexually-transmitted viral disease
HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HPV - Human Papillomavirus
Human Immunodeficiency virus - the virus that causes AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Human Papillomavirus - a virus which affects humans. Some of its effects are classed as sexually transmitted disease
infertility - in a female, the inability to carry a child to full-term pregnancy. In a male, the inability to impregnate a female.
intercourse - the act of sexual procreation between a man and a woman; the man's penis is inserted into the woman's vagina and excited until orgasm and ejaculation occur
lymph nodes - sites at various points in the body where white blood cells are produced to fight off infection
masturbation - manual stimulation of the genital organs (of yourself or another) for sexual pleasure
menstrual cycle - cycle in the female of fertility, often between 28-30 days
menstrual period - point in the menstrual cycle when a woman, having ovulated, does not become pregnant. The uterus then sloughs off nutrient enriched blood and fluids to begin a new cycle. Usually lasts for about 1 week
mucous membranes - tissues that line the mouth, cervix, vagina, urethra and anus
mutual masturbation - manual stimulation of the genital organs of another for sexual pleasure
opportunistic infection - any infection caused by a microorganism that does not normally cause disease in humans
oral sex - oral-genital stimulation
orgasm - the moment of most intense pleasure in sexual intercourse
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease - scarring and inflammation of internal reproductive organs in female, often caused by Chlamydia or Gonorrhea infection. Causes infertility in women.
PID - Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
pneumocystis pneumonia -pneumonia occurring in infants or in persons with impaired immune systems (as AIDS suffers)
point-of-contact disease - wherever the disease enters the body is where a symptom will show up
reimplantation - the act of planting again; in this case, of the fertilized egg into the uterus
Semen - thick, white male reproductive fluid containing sperm that is ejaculated by the genital tract
STDs - sexually-transmitted disease(s)
symptoms - evidence (visible or anecdotal) of infection/illness
Syphilis - sexually-transmitted bacterial infection that occurs in three distinct stages
thrush - candidiasis of the oral cavity; seen mostly in infants or debilitated adults
toxoplasmosis - disease, most common in animals, that causes small worms to appear in fecal matter. Opportunistic infection that afflicts AIDS sufferers
tuberculosis - bacterial lung disease, often inhaled or ingested that causes small lesions in the lungs and other body parts that can lead to death if untreated
unimplantation -
in this case, surgical removal of an implanted embryo
Valtrex - A medication prescribed to suppress
the symptoms of Herpes symplex viruses. This is not a cure.