How Can Chlamydia Be Prevented?
The surest way to avoid transmission of STDs is to not have sexual contact or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is not infected.You can reduce your chances of getting chlamydia or giving it to your partner by using male latex condoms correctly every time you have sexual intercourse.
Health experts recommend chlamydia screening annually for all sexually active women 25 years of age and younger. Health care experts also recommend an annual screening test for older women with risk factors for chlamydia (a new sex partner or many sex partners). In addition, all pregnant women should have a screening test for chlamydia.
If you experience genital symptoms like burning while urinating or have a discharge, you should see your health care provider immediately.
What Are The Complications Of Chlamydia?
Each year up to 1 million women in the United States develop PID, a serious infection of the reproductive organs. As many as half of all cases of PID may be due to chlamydial infection, and many of these women don't have symptoms. PID can cause scarring of the fallopian tubes, which can block the tubes and prevent fertilization from taking place. Researchers estimate that 100,000 women each year become infertile because of PID.In other cases, scarring may interfere with the passage of the fertilized egg to the uterus during pregnancy. When this happens, the egg may attach itself to the fallopian tube. This is called ectopic or tubal pregnancy. This very serious condition results in a miscarriage and can cause death of the mother.
In men, untreated chlamydial infections may lead to pain or swelling in the scrotal area. This is a sign of inflammation of the epididymis. Though complications in men are rare, infection could cause, pain, fever, and sterility.
Can Chlamydia Affect A Newborn Baby?
A baby who is exposed to C. trachomatis in the birth canal during delivery may develop an eye infection or pneumonia. Symptoms of conjunctivitis, which include discharge and swollen eyelids, usually develop within the first 10 days of life.Symptoms of pneumonia, including a cough that gets steadily worse and congestion, most often develop within 3 to 6 weeks of birth. Health care providers can treat both conditions successfully with antibiotics. Because of these risks to the newborn, many providers recommend that all pregnant women get tested for chlamydia as part of their prenatal care.
reproduced from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
