Sexually Transmitted Infections

Sexually transmitted diseases or infections (STD or STI)

In Canada, some of the highest rates and increases in STIs are in young people 15 to 24 years of age. If you are having sex, or thinking about having sex, you need to know how to avoid sexually transmitted infections.

Universal prenatal syphilis rescreening

Alberta Health and Wellness has enhanced the syphilis screening component of the Prenatal Screening Program for Selected Communicable Diseases to ensure that pregnant women with infectious syphilis and their babies are identified and treated as soon as possible. Earlier diagnosis and treatment of syphilis in a pregnant mother can prevent infection in the newborn child and reduce the consequences of syphilis infection in the baby.

All pregnant women should be screened for syphilis early in pregnancy, again at mid-pregnancy, and again at the time of giving birth. In addition, some pregnant women identified as being at high-risk for syphilis infection should be screened more frequently.

More information

Call the STI/HIV Information Line at 1-800-772-2437, to speak to a nurse during normal business hours.

• Keep Healthy and Learn About STI 2005, lower literacy
• Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Surveillance Report Alberta 1998–2002
• Sexually Transmitted Infections Statistical Report 2004 August 2005
• STD Prevention: Taking Care of Yourself and Others – August 2000
• STD Teaching Outline and Resource Guide
• Teaching Sexual Health – Alberta Government
• Sexual Health and Sexually Transmitted Infections – Public Health Agency of Canada
• Canadian Guidelines on Sexually Transmitted Infections – Public Health Agency of Canada
• What you need to know about Sexually Transmitted Infections – Public Health Agency of Canada
• Read more on Human Papillomavirus – HPV