What Happens If I Get Chlamydia When I’m Pregnant
- Chlamydia during pregnancy has been associated in very rare cases with problems such as premature birth, and infection of the uterus lining after the birth.
- It can be passed to the baby during the birth and before the baby is born. This can cause inflammation and discharge in the babys eye and/or pneumonia.
- You may be offered a chlamydia test as part of your antenatal care.
- Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics when youre pregnant and when youre breastfeeding. The antibiotics wont harm the baby, but do tell the doctor or nurse that youre pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Youll be advised to have another test after you complete your treatment.
Antibiotics Are A Highly Effective Cure For Chlamydia Infection
Antibiotics prescribed for chlamydia include:
A single oral dose of Zithromax is the most common treatment. Other drugs may be given in varying doses for a period of up to a week. Most cases of chlamydia clear up within a week after you start on antibiotics.
If you think you have been exposed to chlamydia, Stoner says, see your healthcare provider to receive antibiotic medication to prevent the onset of infection.
The partners of individuals diagnosed with chlamydia will need treatment, too, and in some states they can get it without a doctor visit through a practice called expedited partner therapy, in which the first person treated delivers the treatment to their partner or partners.
More About Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
For women, one of the most serious complications from untreated chlamydia is pelvic inflammatory disease .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1020% of women with untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea infections may develop PID. And 1 in 8 women with a history of PID experience difficulties getting pregnant. PID can also cause ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain.
Like chlamydia, it is possible for a woman to have PID and not have any symptoms, or have symptoms too mild to notice, for an unknown period of time. If symptoms do occur, they could include:
- Dull pain or tenderness in the lower abdomen
- Burning or pain when you urinate
- Nausea and vomiting
- Increased or changed vaginal discharge
- Pain during sex
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What Are The Treatments For Chlamydia
Antibiotics will cure the infection. You may get a one-time dose of the antibiotics, or you may need to take medicine every day for 7 days. Antibiotics cannot repair any permanent damage that the disease has caused.
To prevent spreading the disease to your partner, you should not have sex until the infection has cleared up. If you got a one-time dose of antibiotics, you should wait 7 days after taking the medicine to have sex again. If you have to take medicine every day for 7 days, you should not have sex again until you have finished taking all of the doses of your medicine.
It is common to get a repeat infection, so you should get tested again about three months after treatment.
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Im Pregnant How Does Chlamydia Affect My Baby
If you are pregnant and have chlamydia, you can give the infection to your baby during delivery. This can cause an eye infection or pneumonia in your baby. Having chlamydia may also make it more likely to deliver your baby early.
If you are pregnant, you should receive testing for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting the correct examination, testing, and treatment. Testing and treatment are the best ways to prevent health problems.
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How To Prevent Chlamydia In Men
Using barrier methods, like condoms or dental dams, during all forms of sex can lower your risk of getting chlamydia. Other forms of contraception, like partial barriers , birth control pills, IUDs, etc., do not prevent the spread of STIs like chlamydia. Unprotected sex, unsurprisingly, increases your chances of getting chlamydia and other STIs.
Approximately 1018% of men get reinfected with chlamydiathis means that you have been treated for chlamydia but get chlamydia again in the future. Your healthcare provider may recommend repeat testing three months after treatment to check for reinfection .
Reinfection most often occurs because of continued contact with an untreated sexual partner. The best way to avoid reinfection is to abstain from sexual activity for seven days after starting antibiotic treatment. This will reduce the risk that your sex partner will get chlamydia and then pass it back to you .
Its recommended to notify all of your sexual partners within the past 60 days that they might have chlamydia so that they can get tested and treated. Depending on where you live, public health workers may be available to help you reach out to your sexual partners .
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.
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Chlamydia Infection May Have Long
For women, the long-term effects of an untreated chlamydia infection may include:
- Severe infection with pain and fever requiring a hospital stay
- Pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection of the upper reproductive tract
- Scarring in the reproductive tract that causes infertility
- Higher risk of ectopic pregnancy
Men are less likely than women to have major health problems linked to chlamydia, although they can develop epididymitis, an inflammation of a structure within the testicles called the epididymis that can result in infertility.
A chlamydia infection can sometimes result in reactive arthritis in both men and women.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Jacksonville Florida
If your claim involves insurance coverages issues, you definitely need an attorney involved at the beginning of your case. Many attorneys dont want to take these claims because of the work involved and the low settlement amount that insurance companies are willing to pay on these claims. If these laws apply to your claim, you will have much difficulty negotiating and dealing with dealing these governmental entities. Your attorney in Jacksonville, Florida 32202 can assist you with reimbursement of your collision deductible. The lesson for us is clearan insurance companys goal is not to pay you money, but to keep the money for itself.
Car insurance companies often try to make you think theyre being nice or reasonable by admitting certain things. Insurance companies may make say that to people who do not have lawyers because theyre hoping to force the injured person to settle before he or she has a chance to hire a good lawyer. Insurance companies often suggest or hint that you should not hire a lawyer because lawyers charge too much or a smart person like you doesnt need help. The insurance company may also claim that any injuries the doctor diagnosed did not occur in the wreck, but must have occurred after the collision.
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What Can Happen If Chlamydia Isnt Treated
Untreated chlamydia can put your health at risk. Make an appointment with your provider immediately if you notice any symptoms of chlamydia, and get regular STI screenings to avoid complications later.
Complications of chlamydia for people with vaginas
Untreated chlamydia can cause:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease . PID is a serious condition that requires hospitalization. It can occur when an untreated STI, like chlamydia, damages your reproductive organs. PID can lead to infertility and chronic pelvic pain. It can also cause an ectopic pregnancy, which is life-threatening for the fetus and potentially deadly for the mother or gestational parent, too.
- Pregnancy complications. An untreated infection can lead to pre-term delivery. Also, if youre pregnant and have chlamydia, you can pass the infection on to your newborn. Babies born with chlamydia may have pneumonia or conjunctivitis that could lead to blindness if not treated.
Complications of chlamydia for people with penises
Untreated chlamydia can cause:
- Epididymitis. Infection can spread to the testicles and the tube that carries sperm to your testicles , causing symptoms like pain, swelling and tenderness in your testicles.
- Reduced fertility. Chlamydia can harm your sperm, negatively impacting your ability to conceive.
Complications of chlamydia that can affect all genders
Untreated chlamydia can:
Frequently Asked Questions About Chlamydia
Yes! It is curable for both men and women and it is one of the common diseases to be passed on sexually. The hardest thing is noticing the infection itself as it remains symptomless so it can be difficult to realise you have it in the first place.
Most people dont show signs of the infection and it rare for people to recognise symptoms as the infection. If you do get symptoms of the sexually transmitted disease then they usually appear one to three weeks after having unprotected sex with an infected person. It is possible for symptoms to develop months after the initial infection and symptoms can come and go.
Yes! Chlamydial conjunctivitis is redness and swelling of the clear membrane that lines the inside of your eyelids and covers the white of your eyes. In some cases the infection when in the eye is known as pink eye. Although relatively harmless in adults, eye infection in newborn babies can lead to blindness.
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Testing For Chlamydia In Men
Diagnosing chlamydia in men involves getting a sample from every area at risk of infectionthis will depend on the type of sex you engage in or the symptoms you are experiencing. In men, this usually means a urine sample. Healthcare providers often specify that this should be a first catch sample to indicate that urine from the beginning of the stream should be evaluated in the chlamydia test.
Screening can help detect chlamydia, especially since most people dont develop chlamydia symptoms. Men who have sex with men should be screened as frequently as every 36 months. However, the United States Preventive Services Task Force states that there isnt enough evidence to support or reject screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea in other sexually active men .
If you are interested in getting screened, talk to your healthcare provider. In the meantime, staying aware of the symptoms of chlamydia and how it spreads is an excellent step for your sexual health.
How Long Can Chlamydia Be Dormant
- Oyewale Oyelami
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection induced by bacteria known as Chlamydia Trachomatis.
You can pass chlamydia by transferring bodily fluids from one infected person to another through sexual activities.
It is one of the prevalent sexually transmitted infections in the United States of America.
This is mainly because it has no visible symptoms most time. Thus, people can have Chlamydia and be unaware, infecting others unknowingly through sex. Can Chlamydia be dormant? Chlamydia can remain inactive in the body, causing a low-grade infection without symptoms.
Need help with Chlamydia?
The Center for Disease Control estimates that 50% of men and 75% of women have Chlamydia. In addition, 40% to 96% of people with Chlamydia show no symptoms of this disease. When discovered, however, Chlamydia can be treated.
However, untreated Chlamydia can cause irreparable health complications like damaging a womans reproductive system, causing ectopic pregnancy, and causing infertility in men.
This is why healthcare providers recommend regular screening for sexually active people at higher risk of getting infected.
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Can I Test Myself For Chlamydia At Home
Home testing kits for chlamydia are widely available and can be purchased at many pharmacies or online.
These kits typically require a urine sample or tissue swab, which you can collect at home and securely ship back to the lab to receive your results.
Some companies also include a free medical consultation with a doctor if your test results are positive to review your treatment options.
Ways To Prevent Chlamydia Infection
In case if you are infected with Chlamydia then it is important to take preventive steps to stop spreading it further to other sex partners. Always prefer to follow these tips for prevention:
Any genital chlamydia symptoms in men like burning sensation at the time of urination or discharge can cause unusual rashes or sore. It is the right symptom to stop sexual contact and visit your doctor immediately. In case your doctor immediately identifies presence of Chlamydia in your body then it is good to start treatment from the same day.
Let your past partners know about this disease and ask them to have test fast at a trusted medical clinic. As Chlamydia symptoms are rarely noticeable so it is important to stay aware and protected with proper Chlamydia cure.
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Am I At Risk For Chlamydia
If you are sexually active, have an honest and open talk with your healthcare provider. Ask them if you should get tested for chlamydia or other STDs. Gay or bisexual men and pregnant people should also get tested for chlamydia. If you are a sexually active woman, you should get tested for chlamydia every year if you are:
- Younger than 25 years old.
- 25 years and older with risk factors, such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection.
Causes And Risk Factors
To limit the risk of chlamydia infection, a person should consider talking with sexual partners openly and asking for proof of negative testing.
According to the , people in the following groups should have a chlamydia test every year:
- people under the age of 25 years
- people 25 years and older with risk factors including multiple sexual partners or a sexual partner with an STI
Additionally, the following behaviors increase the risk of contracting chlamydia:
- having more than one sexual partner
- having a sexual partner who has more than one sexual partner
- having an STI now or in the past
- not using condoms consistently when not in a mutually monogamous relationship
- exchanging sex for money or drugs
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Signs And Symptoms Of Chlamydia In Men
Most cases of chlamydia in men have no symptoms. Current estimates indicate that only 10% of men develop symptoms of chlamydiathese symptoms do not show up immediately when they do occur. It usually takes around 510 days after exposure to chlamydia for symptoms to begin. When symptoms or other health problems develop, chlamydia is referred to as a sexually transmitted disease .
The symptoms discussed here refer to those that cis-gendered men may experience. If you are a transgender man, depending on your anatomy, the symptoms related to you may be described here or in our related article on women and chlamydia. The body parts discussed here are the urethra, epididymis, prostate, lymph nodes, rectum, and throat.
How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed
The most common test for chlamydia is called a nucleic acid amplification test . Your provider takes a sample of fluid by doing a vaginal/cervical swab or collecting a urine sample. Then, they send the sample off to a lab to check for the bacteria that causes chlamydia. Your provider may do the test in an office, or they may ask you to do an at-home chlamydia test. Follow your providers instructions carefully to ensure you get accurate test results.
Because most chlamydia cases are asymptomatic, its important to get screened for chlamydia even if you dont notice any signs of infection. The CDC recommends that sexually active cisgender women who are high-risk for chlamydia get screened regularly. Women, more so than men, experience the most severe complications from chlamydia. Transgender men and nonbinary individuals with vaginas should be screened regularly, too, as they can experience the same complications of chlamydia.
Youre considered high-risk if you:
- Have had chlamydia infections previously.
Cisgender men, or trans and nonbinary individuals with penises, should be screened for chlamydia if:
- They live in a setting where chlamydia spreads frequently, like correctional facilities, adolescent clinics and sexual health clinics.
- They have sex with other men.
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How Long Does Chlamydia Last
If you believe youve been exposed to chlamydia, even if you dont have any symptoms, the first thing you should do is get tested. And if your chlamydia test is positive, be confident that you are doing the right thing.
Being tested means that you can be treated, and the proper treatment will help clear up a chlamydial infection in a matter of weeks.
On the other hand, if you dont get tested or dont see a healthcare provider for treatment, chlamydia can live in the body for weeks, months, or even years without being detected.
This can lead to long-term complications, including infertility.
Read on to learn what chlamydia is, how it spreads, the symptoms, and when symptoms typically show.
Ill also explain how long chlamydia lasts, what happens if it goes untreated, how long you have to wait to have sex after an infection, and if you can become immune to chlamydia.