Can Stds Cause Infertility In Males Too
In women, they can be affected doubly as the bacteria may settle in the mucus produced by the cervix and thereby reducing sperm motility, or it may also affect the patency and function of the fallopian tubes. But when it comes to men, they are also not free from possible future problems as well, as microorganisms can adhere to sperm, thereby affecting their quality and quantity. The STD that cause a higher rate of infertility are Chlamydia, caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis, and Gonorrhea, caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
Chlamydia Reduces Male Fertility By Ravaging Sperm
Chlamydia the most common sexually transmitted disease in the US and UK causes dramatic genetic damage in sperm leading to male infertility, a new study suggests.
Men with chlamydia have more than three times the normal level of DNA fragmentation in their sperm, report researchers. However, results from the study also indicate that appropriate antibiotic treatment can help restore the genetic integrity of these mens sperm as well as their fertility.
Until recently, doctors believed that chlamydia threatened womens fertility only. The bacteria responsible for the disease, Chlamydia trachomatis can cause a womans fallopian tubes to become blocked or scarred, making it difficult or impossible to conceive a child.
A study published in 2004 involving Swedish couples seeking infertility treatment found that men with chlamydia infection were less likely to father a child. But researchers have lacked good evidence about why men with the disease develop fertility trouble and how to reverse the problem.
Common Stis That Can Cause Fertility Problems
- 6 Common STIs That Can Cause Fertility Problems
Sexually transmitted infections can affect your ability to have children if left untreated, even an asymptomatic STI can lead to scarring on the reproductive tracts of both men and women, leading to infertility.
Infections can go untreated and unnoticed for years, so it’s vital that you get regular checks to preserve your ability to have children.
Which STIs cause infertility?
The most commonly associated with infertility include:
Chlamydia is one of the top two causes of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease an illness that doubles your risk of infertility. Chlamydia can cause “silent” infections in the upper genital tract, which can cause permanent damage/scarring to your fallopian tubes, uterus and other organs critical to baby-making. The majority of people with chlamydia show no signs of infection at all. But some notable symptoms include pelvic pain or unusual spotting and discharge in women, swollen or tender testicles in men and pain during sex for both men and women.
Like chlamydia, gonorrhoea can cause scarring that blocks your fallopian tubes and increases your risk of having an ectopic pregnancy. And if you do manage to get pregnant, you can pass the illness onto your baby. While there are symptoms, in most cases women do not show them, so you need to make sure you are regularly checked.
Every time you have a smear test youll be checked for HPV.
Read Also: How To Check If You Have Chlamydia
Does Chemo Make You Infertile
Some chemotherapy medicines can cause both temporary and permanent infertility, depending on the type of treatment and the dosage. Your age and the type of cancer you have can also be factors.
-
female infertility: Temporary infertility is when your periods stop or become irregular during treatment, but go back to normal 6 to 12 months after you stop treatment. Its important to note that even if your periods stop, you could still become pregnant because you may still be making and releasing eggs. Your doctor will likely recommend using contraception during chemo because treatment drugs can harm an unborn child
-
permanent infertility is caused when higher doses of chemotherapy drugs damage or destroy the eggs in your ovaries. It occurs more often in older women than younger women
-
chemotherapy can also result in early menopause , which can also stop you getting pregnant naturally
-
male infertility: Chemotherapy can also affect male fertility. The chemotherapy drugs used are different but some can reduce the amount of sperm and testosterone you make. These changes can be temporary or more long term depending on factors like the dose and your age
Before starting treatment, ask your doctor whether your fertility may be affected. That way, you can discuss your options in advance. It may be possible to harvest and freeze your eggs or sperm sample for use at a late date via fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilisation or artificial insemination.
Can Women With Chlamydia Give Birth
The ways in which this particular STI is transmitted are through vaginal, oral and anal sex, and also potentially when the mother is giving birth. Chlamydia may lead to a pre-term birth, and potential risks to the baby include conjunctivitis and other eye infections, as well as pneumonia. Symptoms will present in a few days to three months following birth, and it is vital that the baby is treated with antibiotics. However, the risk of passing chlamydia on to offspring during birth is almost completely eradicated if the mother-to-be receives treatment for the disease in the first trimester of her pregnancy. As long as expectant mothers who have previously been infected with chlamydia have been treated effectively and monitored, they do not need to worry about the infection persisting.
For patients who opt to undergo fertility treatment with IVI, there is no risk of contracting chlamydia through the process. Patients opting to use a donor egg or donor sperm need not worry that either of these genetic materials will be infected with chlamydia, as our donors undergo rigorous testing before being allowed to donate. Not only will patients be given a full battery of tests prior to treatment, they will also have medical advice on hand for any questions or concerns that they may have. Patients can have complete peace of mind in this respect.
You May Like: How You Get Chlamydia Or Gonorrhea
All You Need To Know About Chlamydia And Infertility
Can Chlamydia cause infertility? Chlamydia is one of the common sexually transmitted diseases that is caused due to infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia is among the most common STDs in the USA. According to estimates by the CDC , it affects 2.8 million people in America each year. Chlamydia may be transmitted via oral, anal or vaginal sex. It may also be transmitted from a female who is infected with the disease to her infant during childbirth. Any person who is sexually active can get infected with the bacterium. The risk of infection increases with the total number of partners you have sex with.
Does Weed Lower Your Sperm Count
Scientists have found that men who smoke marijuana frequently can decrease the quality and quantity of their sperm. The study was done by University at Buffalo scientists, but it is believed this affects fertility in general due to its effect on seminal fluid production as well as total count abnormal behaviors which could lead to problems with conception are also reported among smokers including an increase risk for abnormalities during fertilization attempts or implantation into uterine wall.
Don’t Miss: How Do Females Know They Have Chlamydia
Female Issues Of Without Treatment Chlamydia
Some ladies establish PID, an infection that can harm the uterus, cervix, and ovaries. PID is an excruciating condition that commonly needs healthcare facility treatment.
Ladies can also end up being infertile if chlamydia is left neglected due to the fact that the fallopian tubes may come to be scarred.
Expecting ladies with the infection can pass the bacteria to their children throughout birth, which can create eye infections and also pneumonia in babies. Can Chlamydia Make You Infertile Forever
Can Chlamydia Lead To Infertility
Chlamydia is the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in the United States. Its estimated that more than 2 million cases occur throughout the country every year. However, just because its common doesnt mean that its well understood by the general population. If youve been diagnosed with chlamydia, you likely have a lot of questions running through your mind. The best thing you can do is get answers from a reputable source.
Dr. Daniel Kushner specializes in STDs and can give you all the information you need. With two offices in White Plains, New York, and Queens in New York City, he helps people throughout the area stay sexually healthy. When it comes to STDs like chlamydia, hes an expert in diagnosing and treating you so you can get back to your active, healthy life. Heres what you need to know about chlamydia.
Recommended Reading: Does Chlamydia Ever Go Away On Its Own
Inflammation Of The Testicles
In men, chlamydia can spread to the testicles and epididymis , causing them to become painful and swollen. This is known as epididymitis or epididymo-orchitis. This is very rare.
The inflammation is usually treated with antibiotics. If it’s not treated, there’s a possibility it could affect your fertility.
When To Speak To Your Doctor
If youre struggling to get pregnant after a year of regular unprotected sex, or if you think any of these conditions or treatments could be affecting you, its best to speak with your doctor. They can work with you to try and identify why you might be having problems. Together, you can work out a plan to support your efforts to get pregnant.
Also Check: Chlamydia Treatment How Long To Wait
Whats The Treatment For Chlamydia
Its really easy for docs to treat the chlamydia infection itself just a course of antibiotics, which your GP or GUM clinic can prescribe.
Any conditions that occur as a result can also be treated with antibiotics, in the early stages.
The NHS says those who catch PID early will get prescribed a 14-day course, a mix of injections and tablets, to clear up the infection.
Routine Testing: Warranted Or Not
The authors suggest this finding indicates that some other, not yet identified, cause may explain how past or persistent chlamydia infection among men could compromise their partners’ ability to get pregnant. They concluded that early infertility work-ups should include chlamydia antibody testing for both partners instead of just the woman, as is now the common practice.
But male infertility expert Larry Lipshultz, MD, tells WebMD that the study did not convince him that this change in clinical practice is warranted. Lipshultz is a professor of urology at Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine.
“Based on this limited data, I would not be in favor of testing everybody for chlamydia,” he says. “The people in this study were not tested for other sexually transmitted diseases that could impact fertility, so it is not really clear if this was a cause-and-effect relationship.”
Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics, but it is not clear if treating antibody-positive infertile couples increases their likelihood of conceiving.
“This study raises some interesting questions, but it doesn’t really answer them,” Lipshultz says.
Show Sources
Also Check: How Easy Is It To Get Rid Of Chlamydia
How Long Does Chlamydia Take To Make You Infertile
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.
Proportion Of Pid Cases Caused By C Trachomatis
The observed numbers of PID cases in the intervention and control group are presumed to be a mixture of PID cases caused by C. trachomatis and by other microorganisms. We assume that a certain proportion x of PID cases in the control group is caused by chlamydia and that the amount caused by other microorganisms is the same in both groups. In the simulated trial it is assumed that the intervention only reduces the incidence of chlamydial PID.
The model estimates the cumulative incidence of chlamydial PID for the intervention group and for the control group . We get the overall cumulative incidence of PID cases in the intervention group and in the control group by using the proportion of PID cases caused by chlamydia , as follows:
where is the contribution of PID caused by other microorganisms. Note that to obtain the overall cumulative incidence for PID cases it is required that x> 0.
You May Like: When Do Symptoms Of Chlamydia Appear
How To Get Checked For Chlamydia
To get checked for chlamydia is surprisingly easy just arrange a test at your local sexual health/GUM clinic. Your GP may also be able to arrange a quick test.
Infection in men is diagnosed from a urethral swab, and infection in women is diagnosed from a cervical swab and a urethral swab.
Anything that doesnt feel right, tell your doc as it may help them determine if youve got any of the conditions it can cause.
Chlamydia Can Harm Male Fertility
HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Oct. 15, 2019 — Undiagnosed chlamydia infection can harm male fertility, a new study suggests.
“Chlamydia infection has been associated with women’s infertility but much less is known about its impact on male infertility, particularly if men do not experience symptoms, which is estimated to be in about 50% of cases,” said study leader Ken Beagley, a professor of immunology at Queensland University of Technology in Australia.
“When people have no symptoms, they can unknowingly pass on the infection to sexual partners,” Beagley added in a university news release .
The Australian research is the first to find the sexually transmitted disease in testicular tissue biopsies of infertile men with no identified cause for their infertility.
Chlamydia was found in fixed testicular biopsies from 43 of 95 men who had no defined cause of infertility.
Chlamydia was also found in 16.7% of fresh testicular biopsies with no identified cause of infertility. Twelve of those 18 had chlamydia-specific antibodies, indicating they’d been exposed to the bacteria, but none had symptoms of chlamydia or said they’d been diagnosed with any STI.
“This is the first reported evidence of chlamydia infection in human testicular tissue, and while it can’t be said that chlamydia was the cause of the infertility of the men, it is a significant finding,” Beagley said.
The study was published recently in the journal Human Reproduction.
Show Sources
Recommended Reading: How Long Does Chlamydia Last Without Treatment
No Barrier To Children
The reality is that while chlamydia can be damaging to both men and women, having irreversible effects, they can still be overcome. While the odds may be stacked against sufferers or former sufferers trying to conceive naturally, IVI has a long history of assisting patients with more complex needs. Conceiving and giving birth following diagnosis of and treatment for chlamydia is absolutely possible. There are a range of fertility treatment options, of which IVF may be the most suitable, either with patients own genetic material or with donated eggs or sperm.
Chlamydia can affect fertility, but with the range of options and expertise available at IVI clinics worldwide, a past infection need not dash any hope of starting a family.
How Are Fertility Complications Caused By Stis Treated
If chlamydia or gonorrhoea cause PID or inflammation in the testicles or epididymis, this can be treated with antibiotics. Youll usually need a 14-day course, which might involve having injections as well as taking tablets.
Syphilis and trichomoniasis can also be treated with antibiotics, but genital herpes requires antiviral medicine as its caused by a virus.
Also Check: Can Chlamydia Be Cured Without Treatment
How Chlamydia Affects Fertility
Untreated chlamydia can infiltrate your uterus and fallopian tubes and result in pelvic inflammatory disease . If this happens, possible complications include:
- Chronic pain
- Miscarriage
- Premature delivery
So to answer the title question, yes, chlamydia can cause problems with fertility, among other things. The good news is that chlamydia is treatable. So being informed, getting regular screenings, and completing your treatment plan can save you from these extreme consequences.
How Is Chlamydia Spread Can Chlamydia Make You Infertile Forever
You can get chlamydia by having genital, anal, or oral sex with somebody that has chlamydia.
If your sex partner is male you can still obtain chlamydia even if he does not ejaculate.
If youve had chlamydia and were treated in the past, you can still obtain contaminated once more. This can take place if you have unprotected sex with someone that has chlamydia.
If you are expectant, you can offer chlamydia to your infant throughout childbirth.
|
STDcheck |
|
Get Tested Today |
Don’t Miss: Will Chlamydia Go Away After Treatment
Can Some Stis Make You Infertile
Reviewed by our clinical team
There are several different sexually transmitted infections which are common in the UK, including chlamydia. Most dont pose any serious threat to your health as long as theyre diagnosed early and treated, but some can cause complications if they go untreated. In rare cases, an untreated STI can cause problems with your fertility.
The problem is that some STIs dont cause any symptoms at all, which means its not always possible to know that youre infected without a test.
Spotting Signs Of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Although pelvic inflammatory disease may not cause any symptoms specific to the condition, many women may notice mild symptoms. These can include:
- Pain during sex that is felt deep within the pelvis
- Pain around the pelvis and lower abdomen
- Pain during urination
- Bleeding after sex and between periods
- Heavy or painful periods
Don’t Miss: How Do They Do Chlamydia Tests
How To Detect Tubal Damage Due To Chlamydia
After discussing can Chlamydia cause infertility in females, lets discuss how can tubal damage due to Chlamydia be detected.
Tubal Obstruction at the end is detected by doing a hysterosalpingogram during which a dye is injected into the uterus and its spilling through the ends of the fallopian tubes indicates that the fallopian tubes are not blocked. Pelvic adhesions can be detected by doing a laparoscopy in which a telescope with a small camera at its one end is inserted through a small incision in the abdomen under anesthesia. Since it is an invasive procedure, it is done only when absolutely necessary.
Treatment
Treatment of fallopian tube blockage caused due to Chlamydia may be done in two ways. The physician may perform a procedure that is minimally invasive to clear the blockage of the fallopian tube. Then the pregnancy will either be allowed to happen naturally or with the aid of an oral medicine. The couple can also take the help of IVF, which overcomes the problem of fallopian tube blockage. The choice of treatment in a particular situation is dependent on the condition of the female and her preferences.