The Student Room Group

Sex, Biology, and STDs

My boyfriend and I are considering checking ourselves for STDs before having sex. However, I've been told it's useless seeing as we're both virgins, and apparently you only get STDs from someone who's been infected from someone else.

If this is the case, how in the world did STDs begin in the first place? Everyone starts out as virgins, so how does it work if you can only get infected by an infected person? Basically: where did STDs start? This is information that seems impossible to find. Should we bother if it's our first times?

I'd appreciate answer but only if you feel you are sufficiently informed to answer properly... no "you get it from a monkey bite" stuff!
Thanks
Reply 1

pointless if you're both virgins really...

Unless you've both being getting all oral with random other people?
but the chances are very slim.

But if you're both total virgins theres no point whatsoever.
Reply 2
potentially harmless viruses mutate into an STD say, they can now infect mammals and can be passed on to humans through blood wounds etc.

EDIT: some STIs are passed on through childbirth, its always a good thing to get checked out, especially if you're planning to have unprotected sex. It really isn't worth the risk!
Reply 3
I wouldnt bother getting yourselves checked out if you sure you are both virgins and have had no sexual/drug activity with anyone else whatsoever (things like oral sex, injecting drugs etc). Just make sure you use protection to avoid pregnancy.

I cant answer your question about how STDs orginated. They've probably been around since the beginning of time and the nature of the disease changes as time goes on, perhaps making the symptoms more visible and making the disease easier to catch. I dont know, maybe someone else knows??
Reply 4
Yeah its really not worth it and i wouldnt worry about it as long as you're sensible (goes without saying)
Reply 5
Anonymous

If this is the case, how in the world did STDs begin in the first place? Everyone starts out as virgins, so how does it work if you can only get infected by an infected person? Basically: where did STDs start? This is information that seems impossible to find. Should we bother if it's our first times?


The problem is that 'STD' is a very misleading term; they are rather diseases that are found in and transmitted by bodily fluids, or by some sort of physical contact. Bacteria are amongst the earliest of organisms to evolve on earth (viruses are an unusual case); the earliest mobile creatures would obviously have encountered bacteria by drinking water, perhaps merely by breathing, or by exposing open wounds to some surface that abounded in bacteria; over time, and through repeated exposures, the bacteria would develop to take advantage of the host's body. Obviously it didn't stop there, animals developed complex immune systems, and the bacteria and viruses had to evolve ever further to get around these; HIV is spectacularly good at circumventing the body's natural defences. Humans probably acquired this from some other organism, a chimpanzee or ape of some kind; perhaps by eating its meat. The virus may very well have existed for millions of years amongst this primate population. Humans then transmitted it through bodily fluids: through sex, blood transfusion, sharing needles, and so on.

Really it's terribly unlikely that you have anything, unless you've had blood transfusions in a third world country lately, or are habitual heroin users who frequently share needles.