One of the most common STDs is Chlamydia. Chlamydia is preventable and can be easily cured. If it is left untreated however, chlamydia can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease and risk of ectopic pregnancy in women (pregnancy that occurs outside of the womb).
What are the symptoms of Chlamydia?
Most people with chlamydia do not exhibit any symptoms but men and women who do have symptoms might experience unusual genital discharge or pain and burning when urinating. Symptoms may not appear until several weeks after you have sex with an infected partner. Women may have lower back or abdominal pain, nausea, pain during sex, or bleeding after sex and/or between periods. Men may have pain and swelling in one or both testicles. Chlamydia can also infect the rectum in both men and women. Symptoms of a rectal infection are rectal pain, discharge and bleeding. The rectum could be infected due to receptive anal sex or by spreading from another infected area.
Chlamydia and Pregnancy
Having chlamydia during pregnancy is fatal to the baby’s health because the infection can be passed to the baby during delivery. The baby could have an eye infection, pneumonia or be born prematurely if the mother has chlamydia. Getting tested and early treatment helps to prevent health problems during pregnancy.
Testing and Treatment for Chlamydia
Sexually active young people are at risk for chlamydia as well as gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. Chlamydia can spread through oral and anal sex. Sexually active women who are younger than 25 years old, those who have new or multiple sex partners, or have a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection should be tested for chlamydia. A doctor or healthcare provider may ask for a urine sample or may use a cotton swab to get a vaginal sample to test for chlamydia. Medication prescribed by your doctor should be taken correctly and should not be shared with anyone. A person with chlamydia should be tested again about 3 months after treatment because repeat infection with chlamydia is common.
Not seeking treatment can lead to serious health problems. Chlamydia can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes of the female reproductive system and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID may cause abdominal and pelvic pain and can lead to inability to get pregnant. For men the infection can spread to the tube that carries sperm from the testicles and cause pain and fever.
Prevention of Chlamydia
Abstaining from vaginal, anal or oral sex is the only way to avoid getting STDs. If you are sexually active, you can reduce your risk of getting chlamydia by using latex condoms and dental dams correctly and being with a long-term partner who has tested negative for STDs.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/stdfact-chlamydia.htm