By Karen Choucrallah, 17, Sex, Etc.

Maybe you’ve heard the recent news that one in four girls between the ages of 14 and 19 in the United States has a sexually transmitted disease (STD). That’s 3.2 million girls! What’s that about?! The good news is that three-quarters of teen girls don’t have an STD. But what about that one in four? Check out my top-ten reasons why I think one in four teen girls has an STD.

1) “Just say no” to sex doesn’t work for some teens.
Don’t get me wrong. Some teens proudly wear their abstinence rings or just aren’t ready for sex, and that’s great. But almost half of 15- to19 year-olds have had sex, according to the Guttmacher Institute. And if there’s no sex ed at your school or an abstinence-only program that says “just say no,” you’re more likely to be among that one in four with an STD. Why? Because you don’t get factual information about how to protect yourself from STDs.

2) Too many girls think oral sex isn’t sex.
Let me be the one to break the news to you: Oral sex is sex. And guess what? If you’re having unprotected oral sex, you can get gonorrhea, hepatitis B, herpes and syphilis. (Need more convincing? Check out this FAQ on STDs and oral sex.)

3) Most STDs don’t have symptoms.
Believe it or not, when you get an STD, oozing sores do not magically bloom on your face and your genitals don’t burst into flames immediately after intercourse. Since most STDs have no symptoms, many teens don’t even know when they have one. (Need more info? Check out this FAQ on the common symptoms of STDs.)

4) Some girls (and guys) don’t know how to correctly use latex barriers like condoms and dental dams.
There’s more to putting on a condom than just getting it onto the penis. For a condom to protect you from most STDs, it has to be used correctly each and every time you have sex. (Check out The Condom Game to test what you know about correctly putting on a condom.) And if you’re having oral sex, you should definitely know how to use a Sheer Glyde dam.

5) Some teens think condoms and dental dams ruin the mood.
But is there anything less romantic that getting an STD? Latex barriers like condoms suddenly seem very romantic. (Read more on how to talk to your boo about using protection.)

6) Unprotected sex is everywhere.
Turn the TV on, open a magazine, check out your friend’s most commented on MySpace picture—sex sells! And you rarely, if ever, see any condoms on TV or in films. Just keep in mind that we live in the real world, and there are consequences for not having safer sex.

7) Girls think it can’t happen to them.
You’ve heard girls say this, or maybe you’ve said it: Oh, no, I’m not getting an STD. I have a very loving, faithful partner, and it’s not like I’m cheating on him or her. That slut Kelly is the type who would get an STD. Total skank. She’s full of them. But me? No way. I only just started having sex. Besides, I’m me. Obviously, I’m safe. Right?

Wrong. No one is invulnerable. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you are—no matter how faithful your partner is or how big a so-called “slut” Kelly is. Use protection.

8) Girls don’t know their partners well enough before having sex.
Sit your partner down and ask the tough questions: Have you ever had an STD? Were you treated? When did you last get tested? Are you willing to be tested regularly if we both chose to have sex? Have you practiced safer sex with your previous partners? If your partner isn’t willing to interrupt five precious minutes playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl, then he or she isn’t worth your time and certainly not worth getting an STD over.

9) Girls aren’t getting tested.
If you’re not too shy to have sex, then don’t be shy about getting tested. As I said earlier, some STDs do not have symptoms, so it’s important to get tested regularly. The sooner an STD is detected, the sooner it can be treated. Find a clinic near you or call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) to find a Planned Parenthood in your area.

10) Too many girls are only concerned about not getting pregnant.
Here at Sex, Etc., we get lots of teens on our Forums and in our Chats asking, “Could I be pregnant?” But these teens who are worried about getting pregnant or getting their girlfriends pregnant don’t seem worried about STDs. But guess what? You can get an STD from unprotected sex, too.

If more girls and guys had accurate information about STDs and safer sex, then maybe fewer girls would get STDs. I hope my list inspires you to wait to have sex or to use condoms, Sheer Glyde dams and your brain, if you’re going to have sex! Because really, who wants to be another statistic?