1. What are the symptoms of chlamydia?
Most infected people have no symptoms, so they do not seek treatment. For women, symptoms (if they occur) include bleeding between menstrual periods and after sexual intercourse, abdominal pain, painful intercourse, and an abnormal vaginal discharge. For men, symptoms include pus or milky discharge from the penis. Both sexes can experience painful or frequent urination.
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2. What will happen if I don’t get treated?
If left untreated, women may develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) from areas of infection that start on the cervix but that can spread to the fallopian tubes and ovaries. This can cause infertility
infertility and increase the risk of
tubal or ectopic pregnancy, which may be fatal. Women who are infected and pregnant may experience heavy bleeding before delivery and premature rupture of the membranes. Men may develop pain and swelling of the testicles due to epidydimitis and may become sterile. Both sexes may develop rectal itching and red, swollen, itchy eyes and arthritis.
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3. How is chlamydia transmitted?
It is generally transmitted through sexual contact (oral, vaginal, or anal) with an infected partner. An infected mother can spread the disease to her baby during childbirth. These babies are in danger of developing conjunctivitis (an
inflammation of the eyesthat can threaten eyesight) and pneumonia.
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4. How is it treated?
Chlamydia can be easily treated with a course of antibiotics.
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5. How can it be prevented?
Sexually active men and women can reduce their risk of chlamydia by reducing their numbers of partners and by using condoms correctly and consistently during sexual intercourse.
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