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The most important thing to know about infertility caused by undiscovered and untreated STIs is just thatits preventable. The infections that can lead to infertility, namely gonorrhea and chlamydia, are among the most common and most treatable, so testing and treatment can prevent the complications that can damage reproductive organs and leave a woman infertile.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea are both bacterial infections spread through sexual contact that can affect both men and women and are some of the most common STIs seen by doctors an estimated 2.86 million cases of chlamydia and 820,000 cases of gonorrhea occur annually in the United States. More often than not, an infected woman has no symptomsbut unfortunately, even asymptomatic infection can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID. Doctors estimate that up to 40% of women who contract chlamydia or gonorrhea and dont properly treat the infection will wind up with PID, and up to half of PID cases are estimated by the CDC to be caused by chlamydia or gonorrhea infection.
Heres how PID happens: when a woman is infected with one of these STIs, microorganisms can travel upward from her cervix or vagina to the other reproductive organs, causing them to be infected, as well. The PID, in turn, can cause scar tissue on the fallopian tubes that blocks the pathway of the egg released from the ovary, preventing natural pregnancy and causing infertility.
How Long Before Gonorrhea Makes You Infertile
As in case of Chlamydia, PID from gonorrhea can cause in between 2 days to 3 weeks after exposure to the bacteria. So technically, the Pelvic inflammatory disease starts as an infection after 3 weeks of exposure to make you infertile. Also, untreated Gonorrhea can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes, causing PID which may result in scarring of the tubes, causing a greater risk of pregnancy complications and infertility. PID is a serious infection that requires immediate treatment.
How To Help Partners Get Treatment
If you are not sure whether your sexual partner will seek treatment, ask your doctor for extra chlamydia medication . You can give it to them so they can be treated as soon as possible.
This is known as patient delivered partner therapy for chlamydia. Talk to your doctor to see if PDPT is right for you and your sexual partner.
Read Also: How To Tell If You Have Chlamydia At Home
What Are The Symptoms
Worryingly, there often arent any signs or symptoms to suggest that anythings wrong. In fact, 70% of women and 50% of men dont have any symptoms at all. For those that do, it might feel similar to an infection of the urethra or cervix.
For women, the 30% who DO get symptoms might also experience, according to the NHS:
- cystitis-like symptoms
- a small increase in vaginal discharge
- bleeding between periods or after sex
- discomfort during sex may arise if the cervix becomes very inflamed.
How Often Should I Get Checked For Chlamydia
Sexual health check-ups are recommended for anyone who is sexually active. Frequency of testing also depends on your STI risk:
- An annual sexual health check-up is highly recommended if you are sexually active especially if you are under 25.
- Get checked more often during the year if you frequently change sexual partners.
- Remember, you are at greater risk if you have sex without a condom with 1 or multiple sexual partners.
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How Long Does It Take To Show Up In The Throat
Symptoms of chlamydia in your throat are typically caused by having oral sex with someone whos contracted the infection.
Its much less common to notice throat symptoms, but they may still appear after a week or so, up to a few months or longer.
STI tests that look for chlamydia arent always done on the throat since its an area that does not carry the infection often. Ask your doctor for a throat swab or other chlamydia test if you think youve been exposed through oral sex.
Here are the most common symptoms of chlamydia in both people with penises and people with vulvas.
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
Read Also: How Are Men Tested For Chlamydia
Chlamydia The Silent Std That Can Cause Infertility
The bacteria often go undetected, but are easy to test for and treat.
One of the biggest frustrations in public-health circles today involves a tiny bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis.
Chlamydia infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease, responsible for a record 1.1 million cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2007, and experts there estimate that twice that many cases go undetected. Left untreated, chlamydia can cause infertility or potentially fatal ectopic pregnancies. But many women arent even aware that they were exposed to itpossibly years agountil they try to have a baby and cant.
How Do I Know If My Husband Is Infertile
Although in most cases there wont be any visible symptoms apart from the absence of pregnancy, here are some signs that a man is infertile:Problems with ejaculation. Issues keeping an erection. Pain, swelling or a lump in the testicles. Inability to smell. Low sperm count. Small testicles. Abnormal breast growth.More items
Recommended Reading: Signs And Symptoms Of Chlamydia
What Are Sexually Transmitted Diseases
An STD is one that is passed from one person to another mainly through intimate sexual contact, which can be heavy petting, vaginal or anal sexual intercourse, and oral sex. There are dozens of STDs including syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, human papillomavirus and others. But gonorrhea and chlamydia are the ones most likely to cause subfertility .
Most sexually active people are familiar with the term STD, and probably STI . The terms are often used interchangeably. But technically the sexually transmitted infection occurs before the sexually transmitted disease, which follows from the infection. STI or STD, you dont want either one.
About 20 million new cases of STDs occur every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . And roughly 75 percent of women will get some type of STD in their lifetime . STDs are most common in women under age 25, and up to 80 percent of women with chlamydia get it between age 15 and 25.
According to the CDC, there were a record number of cases in 2016 for gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. Though we hope for these numbers to drop for subsequent years , decreased government funding for health centers has already led to increased costs for testing in several areas, resulting in fewer people getting evaluated.
Chlamydia Trachomatis And Neisseria Gonorrhoeae
C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae have been extensively shown to be associated with infertility, particularly by causing tubal inflammation. In fact, early speculation regarding the effect of N. gonorrhoeae on female fertility dates back to the 1870s, when the German-born gynecologist Emil Noeggarath published his revolutionary claims about gonorrhea as a clinical condition in his book Latent Gonorrhoea in the Female Sex . Though he may have widely overestimated its repercussions , his theories eventually sparked the initiation of further investigations . When the bacterium N. gonorrhoeae was finally isolated, Noeggarath’s controversial claims regarding the persistence of this âvenereal poisonâ in the reproductive organs and its pathologic consequences were reexamined . Studies conducted more than a century later have since demonstrated the impact of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae on subsequent infertility.
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Is An Std The Reason You Are Not Getting Pregnant
by Dr. John Preston Parry | Jan 23, 2018 | Doctor’s Blog
Sexually transmitted diseases are running rampant, causing infertility in the process. This may seem scary, but we are specially equipped to find and address STD-related infertility, even if it happened a long time ago.
It is ironic that the more youve had sex in your past, the less fertile you may be, particularly if condoms werent used. Sexually transmitted diseases can make both women and men infertile, though it seems to affect women more. Up to 85 percent of women that have had chlamydia dont realize theyve had it.
Moreover, the South has some of the highest rates of STDs in the United States. Other areas of the U.S. with high rates of infections include Alaska, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands .
STDs can not only affect mothers and fathers, but even their children . A single event of pelvic inflammatory disease can cause 20 percent of women to have blocked fallopian tubes, as well as a 20 percent rate of chronic pelvic pain. Even if the fallopian tubes arent completely closed, they can still have damage that can be missed. Were fortunate at Positive Steps Fertility to provide our Parryscope fertility evaluation that thoroughly examines the fallopian tubes, as well as uterine health and ovarian reserve, often picking up problems other doctors have missed.
Related information: Having trouble getting pregnant? Whether due to STDs or other causes, we can help. So please make an appointment.
What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia
Most men and women with chlamydia have no signs or symptoms, which makes it very easy to spread. Some people have the infection for many months or years without knowing it.
Women who get symptoms may have:
- vaginal discharge
- bleeding between periods or after sex
- burning or pain when urinating
- abdominal or pelvic pain
- pain during sex
Men who get symptoms may have some clear discharge from the penis or pain during urination.
In rare cases, people with chlamydia have sore joints or inflammation of the eye .
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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.
Facts About Mycoplasma Genitalium
- Read more…
In women it can cause vaginal discharge, inflammation in the urethra and cervix, and pelvic inflammatory disease, and can increase the risk of infertility. In some men the infection does not cause any symptoms but others can experience inflammation of the urethra, painful urination, and discharge from the penis. Mycoplasma genitalium can be effectively treated with antibiotics.
Also Check: After You Get Treated For Chlamydia
Can Having Chlamydia For 2 Years Make You Infertile
Many women, and some men, are infected with chlamydia but dont know it. Even without symptoms, the disease can cause complications, particularly infertility. The longer the infection is untreated, the more damage that can be done. If symptoms do show up, they usually occur within weeks of exposure.
How Does Chlamydia Spread
Chlamydia is spread when a person has unprotected sex with an infected person.
Because chlamydial infection often has no symptoms, many people do not realise they have the infection.
Even if you know a person well, you may not be able to tell they have an STI, because people can look healthy and still have chlamydia.
Remember, you can get chlamydia and other STIs from a new sexual partner who has in the past had sex with someone who is infected.
It can also be spread from a long-term partner who has had sex with other people.
Read Also: How Does One Contract Chlamydia
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.
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.
Also Check: How To Screen For Chlamydia
How Long Do You Have To Have Chlamydia To Become Infertile
How long do you have to have Chlamydia to become infertile
- How long is it before you become infertile if you have untreated ?
- http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How+long+is+it+before+you+become+infertile+if+you+have+clamydia
- As soon as the woman you want to conceve with finds out.
- How long having chlamydia can you become infertile?
- http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070523024915AAgSKIy
- how long will be individual, depending on the health and the immune system of the person affected.
- How long can Chlamydia be left before you become infertile??
- http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100121105136AAaFGbI
- It depends on how fast it spread in your body. Heres some more information: In men, chlamydia may not cause any symptoms, but symptoms that may occur include: a painful or burning sensation when urinating, an unusual discharge from the p
Can Chlamydia Cause Infertility
An STD caused by pathogenic bacteria such as Chlamydia trachomatis can lead to PID when bacteria travel up the reproductive tract and cause inflammation and scarring. PID is one of the primary causes of tubal factor infertility , according to a study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. The study found that chlamydia infection led to PID in roughly 35 percent of cases in women aged 16 to 24 years, and in 20 percent of women aged 16 to 44 years.
Another study cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates a 4.4 percent prevalence of self-reported PID among sexually active women ages 18 to 44. The study, which referenced sample data from a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, concludes that there is a link between PID and previous STI diagnoses.
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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.
Your Fertility Questions Answered
Can I get pregnant at any time of my cycle?
Yes, although the chances of getting pregnant at the beginning or end of your cycle are very low. The problem is, if you don’t want to be pregnant, you can’t take chances.
While it will vary from woman to woman, you are usually most fertile around 2 weeks before your next period is due. This is when an egg is released from your ovaries .
Sperm can live for up to 5 days inside you, so even if you have sex early on in your cycle there is a possibility sperm will still be there when you ovulate and the egg will be fertilised. If you ovulate early, it would be possible to get pregnant shortly after your period finishes.
Some women think if they’ve had unprotected sex a few times and not become pregnant that they may be infertile, but all this suggests is they probably weren’t having sex at their fertile time.
If you’ve had unprotected sex and don’t want to be pregnant, use emergency contraception as soon as possible after it’s happened.
I’ve had chlamydia – will that make it more difficult for me to conceive?
Most women who have had chlamydia won’t have any difficulties conceiving that are related to the infection.
If you are under 25, the NHS recommends you are tested every year or when you change partners. You can also request a free postal self-test kit on line in your local area. Find out more information online from NHS Choices
Does it become harder to conceive the older I get?
Does abortion lead to infertility?
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