Big increase in young women with STIs

Published on Tuesday 25 November 2008 20:59

THERE has been a worrying rise in the number of sexually transmitted infections among young women in Scotland.

Specialist clinics last year diagnosed more than 3,000 cases in women under the age of 20, and a similar number in women aged 20 to 24, a report showed.

Statistics showed there were a total of 22,906 sexually transmitted infections (STI) diagnoses made at genitourinary medicine clinics in 2007 – almost double the figure for 1997.

The report found 71 per cent of all diagnoses of chlamydia involved people under 25.

There was also a rise in STIs among the over-40s. Diagnoses for the four major STIs – chlamydia, genital warts, herpes and gonorrhoea – increased by 29 per cent over five years.

Shona Robison, the public health minister, said: "Although it is encouraging to see increased awareness of and testing for STIs – which in turn produces more diagnoses – it is clear there is still much work to do to improve our sexual health."

Dr Richard Simpson, Labour's health spokesman, said: "I am very concerned by the increase in infections among young women. We must redouble our efforts to get the message across to young people."