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ND – (NewsDakota.com) April is S-T-D Awareness month and the North Dakota Department of Health is urging residents to safeguard themselves through some simple steps: talking, testing and treating.

According to the latest numbers, incidents of sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, steadily rose in North Dakota between 2009 and 2013. Most of those cases affect younger people under age 24.

S-T-D Prevention Coordinator Sarah Weninger says the uptick in cases increases the need for young people to take caution when being sexually active.

She says, “using condoms consistently, also limiting the number of sex partners that a person has; the more people you have sex with the more likely you are to get an STD. And simply being tested.”

The department recommends that all women under age 25 should get tested yearly, regardless of any risk factors. Weninger says by talking openly with a partner or a health care provider, people can better spot risks for certain S-T-Ds and prevent spreading them to others.