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It would certainly depend on how you could contract the STD that you are currently infected with. Do note that STDs are not necessarily only transmitted through sexual contact or sexual intercourse. The most common transmission pathway for STDs is through contact with infected bodily fluids – precipitating a systemic infection as the causative microorganisms penetrate through the mucosal membranes and skin openings in the body. While it might be true that you have not participated in any sexual activity yet, it is possible to contract the pathogen through other processes of body fluid contact, such as through high-risk bloodletting or sharing needles used by an infected individual.

Pap screening is performed to examine the cellular structure of the cervical tissues, identifying whether there are specific changes that may be either malignant or benign growths within the area. Sexually active women with HPV infections are prone to cervical cancer due to the tendency of HPV to cause mutations and develop malignant changes in the area. Testing routinely for such will help physicians to identify any suspicious growths before it even develops into a malignant condition that could be more debilitating for the patient in the long run.

It would essentially depend on the STD that you have contracted. Although it can be argued that certain STDs cause very evident symptomatic manifestations such as ulcerations, discharge, and bleeding, some are relatively subtle for you even to consider having yourself tested for any STD at all. Not knowing whether you have an STD is ultimately dependent on your tendency to have yourself tested, especially considering that self-diagnoses are often counterintuitive and inaccurate to a certain degree.

Condoms or any protective measure available in the market are designed not to prevent the transmission of STDs but to minimize the risk of contracting the condition upon contact with an infected surface. Condoms, in particular, are notorious for their inconsistency in protecting patients from contracting the disease due to how limited their coverage is. Considering that transmission may likewise occur from areas not covered by the sheet itself, transmission is still possible. However, the point remains that condoms are necessary to, at the very least, lower the risk of contracting or even transmitting the condition, especially in cases where both are unaware of their underlying infections. While it might not be the prevent-all that many would have expected it to be, wearing none is magnitudes worse than wearing one.