Women may be more likely to contract an STD while they are ovulating

 

In order to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), it's important to understand who is at the highest risk of contracting these diseases. Sometimes, this means examining a certain population and addressing their patterns of sexual behavior, but it's also important to determine if people may be more biologically susceptible to get a sexually-based condition.

For example, research published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology finds that women are more likely to contract and STD when they are ovulating than at any other time of the month. This may be due to the fact that a woman's immune system is compromised during this time in their reproductive cycle, to allow sperm to fertilize an egg without the threat of an immune response.

"The next time you hear a woman say that she's sick of men," said John Wherry, Ph.D., deputy editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, "you can add this to her list as another reason. This adaption which allows male sperm to survive long enough to fertilize an egg, may also open the door for other types of infection."

In a study conducted on mice, researchers discovered that the sex hormone estradiol increases a woman's likelihood of developing a fungal infection. This isn't the only way in which women have a higher chance of contracting an STD. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, because the cervix of teenage girls and young women is not fully developed, they are at a higher risk for chlamydia.

It's important to remember that just because a woman's chance of contracting an STD is higher during ovulation, that doesn't mean she can't get one during the rest of the month. Any individuals who engage in sexual activity should be sure to practice safer sex.