We often hear that STIs are at a “record high” these days, but it’s important to consider their historical context. For example, while gonorrhea and syphilis have risen lately, they are still well below their historical peak years ago because we have better treatments today. So they’re certainly more common than they were a few years ago, but far less common than they were decades ago. Also, with increasing rates of many infections, it’s not always clear if they’re becoming more common, or if we’re just doing more testing and surveillance, which gives the appearance of a rise. Of course, it’s also possible that STIs are truly increasing due to changes in sexual behavior, such as the decline in condom use that has been reported in recent years. The short answer is that it’s complicated!