• Contact us
• About us
• A-Z topics
• Symptom Checker
• Service Finder
• Linking to us
• Information partners
• Terms of use
• Privacy

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is funded by the Australian Government and operated by Healthdirect Australia.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is provided on behalf of the Department of Health

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby’s information and advice are developed and managed within a rigorous clinical governance framework. This website is certified by the Health On The Net (HON) foundation, the standard for trustworthy health information.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.

The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.

Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, this publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, altered, adapted, stored and/or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Healthdirect Australia.

Support this browser is being discontinued for Pregnancy, Birth and Baby

Support for this browser is being discontinued for this site

• Internet Explorer 11 and lower

We currently support Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari. For more information, please visit the links below:

• Chrome by Google
• Firefox by Mozilla
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari by Apple

You are welcome to continue browsing this site with this browser. Some features, tools or interaction may not work correctly.

Is an STD the Reason You Are Not Getting Pregnant?

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 you’ve had sex in your past, the less fertile you may be, particularly if condoms weren’t used. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can make both women and men infertile, though it seems to affect women more. Up to 85 percent of women that have had chlamydia don’t realize they’ve had it.

Moreover, the South (particularly Mississippi) 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 (which may need a new name based on these statistics).

STDs can not only affect mothers and fathers, but even their children (e.g. chlamydial conjunctivitis). A single event of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) 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 aren’t completely closed, they can still have damage that can be missed. We’re 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.

There are three basics to understanding how STDs and fertility overlap: what STDs are, how they cause infertility and how to fix problems.

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 (HPV) and others. But gonorrhea and chlamydia are the ones most likely to cause subfertility (reduced fertility).

Most sexually active people are familiar with the term STD, and probably STI (sexually transmitted infection). 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 don’t want either one.

About 20 million new cases of STDs occur every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And roughly 75 percent of women will get some type of STD in their lifetime (over 90 percent if you include HPV). 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 (there’s a delay in release of data due to analysis), decreased government funding for health centers has already led to increased costs for testing in several areas, resulting in fewer people getting evaluated.

This means more people with infections won’t know they have one, and a greater likelihood of STDs being spread. Based on past parallels, we expect more women to have STIs in the future, particularly in areas with limited investment in public health.

The best practice, particularly for people trying to get pregnant, is to be tested for STDs (CDC guidelines for testing) and get treated if an STD is present. Mississippians particularly should be on guard for STDs. According to the CDC, the state ranks #1 in gonorrhea, #3 in chlamydia and #7 in primary and secondary syphilis.

How STDs cause infertility

Gonorrhea and chlamydia, which are preventable, are the two STDs most likely to result in infertility because they can cause PID in women. This can inflame and scar the fallopian tubes, making it hard for sperm and eggs to find each other, blocking pregnancy. Chlamydia and gonorrhea can also cause inflammation of the cervix and inflammation of the urethra in the lower part of the urinary tract.

Gonorrhea and chlamydia often show no symptoms, so that’s another concern and reason to be tested. If untreated, about 15 percent of women with chlamydia will develop PID, which occurs in the upper part of the genital tract affecting the uterus, fallopian tubes and surrounding tissues in those areas. This can cause infertility, with cases of acute PID being particularly damaging to fertility.

Screening for gonorrhea and chlamydia is simple and inexpensive, involving a urine sample. Treatment is also relatively easy. The CDC recommends dual therapy of two drugs, one an injection, the other an oral medication. Because gonorrhea and chlamydia often occur at the same time, this dual approach can cure both.

HPV and herpes simplex virus (HSV) don’t directly cause infertility, but HSV can make you more vulnerable to other infections. Couples with HSV must abstain from sex until the sores have healed, and HPV can progress to cervical (and other) cancer, and the treatments can sometimes make you less fertile.

STDs in men

Though STDs are more detrimental to female fertility, if the male has gonorrhea or chlamydia, it can render him infertile because the infection can block the epididymis. These are the long, coiled tubes at the back of the testicles that store and then carry sperm during ejaculation. A blocked epididymis can mean that no sperm gets to the female’s eggs during intercourse. Men who suspect they are having trouble should come to us and have their fertility assessed.

But the most likely way that a male STD can cause infertility is that he passes the disease to his female partner. Then she becomes infertile, as described above. The male partner’s STD could also affect fertility by causing the couple to abstain from sex in order to heal and not spread the disease.

Working around STD-caused infertility

For men and women seeking to have children, the biggest issue with STDs is damage to the woman’s fallopian tubes and potentially even the uterus. The two fallopian tubes pick up eggs from the ovaries, so if the tubes are closed at that end from a previous infection, there won’t be many (or any) eggs for the sperm to find and fertilize in order to make an embryo.

Also, even if the tubes are only partially blocked, and sperm and egg “get lucky” finding each other, the damage can still prevent an embryo from making it back to the uterus, resulting in an ectopic pregnancy, which is a dangerous condition, and the pregnancy must be ended. Additionally, very bad pelvic infections can scar the uterus, resulting in Asherman’s syndrome, making it difficult for an embryo to attach or develop.

With the Parryscope™ technique I invented and for which I have a patent and trademark pending, we can quickly, gently and accurately look at whether the fallopian tubes are open or whether STDs (or other factors) may have resulted in scarring. At the same time we can also look at ovarian and uterine factors, so as to cover the core factors in female fertility.

If there is a blockage in the fallopian tubes or other problems are found, additional evaluation and treatment may be necessary. Though the Parryscope™ technique is a minimally invasive surgical service through hysteroscopy, the focus is on diagnostic evaluation. Other minimally invasive surgeries such as laparoscopy may be necessary to repair the tubes.

We perform such surgeries at Positive Steps Fertility. These therapies can include a salpingostomy procedure that can clear a new opening in a blocked fallopian tube near the ovary. Another option is a fimbrioplasty operation, which can rebuild the fringe-like ends of the fallopian tube by the ovary that serve to sweep the egg into the tube from the ovary. For blockages of the tubes near the uterus, we can attempt to clear them with tubal cannulation, in which we use a catheter through the cervix and uterus to try to clear the blockage

If these aren’t options or are not successful, we have to bypass the fallopian tubes to achieve pregnancy. This is where assisted reproductive technologies come into play, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) is often the best choice.

If only one fallopian tube is blocked, pregnancy is still possible. We may be able to assist it with intrauterine insemination (IUI).

Three closing thoughts on STDs and infertility for people trying to have children

• You should try your best to prevent getting an STD.
• If you think it’s possible you have an STD, be tested and have it treated.
• If you suspect an STD – or anything – is preventing you from getting pregnant, get in touch with me: We’ll find out the problem and work around it the best way possible.

Chlamydia - KVD №2

What is chlamydia?

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI). The disease is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis (Chlamydia trachomatis), which affects the female genital area and is the cause of non-gonococcal urethritis in men. Manifestations of chlamydia are usually minor or absent, but serious complications develop. Complications can cause irreparable damage to the body, including infertility - all this proceeds very secretly.

Chlamydia also causes penile discharge in infected men.

Chlamydia transmission routes

Chlamydia can be transmitted through:

• vaginal or anal contact with an infected partner;
• less common with oral sex;
• use of sex toys with an infected partner;
• infection of a newborn during childbirth from a sick mother.

Absolutely all sexually active people can get chlamydia. The greater the number of sexual partners, the greater the risk of infection. The risk of infection is especially high in girls, because their cervix is ​​not fully formed. About 75% of new cases occur in women under 25 years of age. By the age of 30, approximately 50% of sexually active women have had chlamydia. In sexually active men, the risk of infection is highest between the ages of 20 and 24.

You cannot get chlamydia through kisses, hugs, dishes, baths, towels.

Manifestations of chlamydia

Chlamydia is very secretive. About 75% of infected women and 50% of infected men are asymptomatic. If manifestations of the disease develop, then this occurs approximately 1 to 3 weeks after infection.

In women, chlamydia first affects the cervix and urethra (urinary canal).

Manifestations:

• unusual vaginal discharge;
• pain or discomfort when urinating;

If the infection penetrates to the appendages, manifestations are possible:

• pain in the lower abdomen;
• pain in the lumbar region;
• nausea;
• slight increase in temperature;
• pain during intercourse or bleeding after it;
• bleeding between periods.

Symptoms in men:

• clear or cloudy discharge from the penis;
• pain or discomfort when urinating;
• there may be burning and itching in the area of ​​the outlet of the urethra;
• rarely pain and/or swelling of the testicles.

Men or women who have anal sex with an infected partner can infect the rectum, resulting in inflammation, pain, discharge, or bleeding from the rectum.

Chlamydia can cause sore throat (pharyngitis) in men and women who have oral contact with an infected partner.

What complications can develop if chlamydia is not treated?

If the disease is not treated, serious short-term and persistent complications develop. Like the disease itself, complications often occur insidiously.

In women with untreated chlamydia, infection can spread from the urethra to the fallopian tubes (the tubes that carry the egg from the ovaries to the uterus) - this causes (in 40% of cases) the development of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID causes permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues. Chronic pelvic pain, infertility and ectopic pregnancy are the result of PID.

Women with chlamydia are more susceptible to HIV infection, the risk increases by almost 5 times.

To prevent serious consequences of chlamydia, annual chlamydia screening is required for all sexually active women 25 years of age and younger. An annual examination is necessary for women over 25 who are at risk (new sexual partner, multiple sexual partners). All pregnant women should be screened for chlamydia.

Complications of chlamydia are rare in men. The infection sometimes extends to the epididymis and causes pain, fever, and, rarely, male infertility (sterility).

Rarely, chlamydial infection can cause inflammation of the joints in combination with skin lesions, inflammation of the eyes and urinary tract - this is the so-called Reiter's syndrome.

The effect of chlamydia on a pregnant woman and her child

Chlamydia in pregnant women increases the risk of miscarriage, premature detachment of the placenta. Newborns from infected mothers can get eye and lung infections. A lung infection (pneumonia) can be fatal to a newborn.

Diagnosis of chlamydia

Diagnosis includes observation of the patient's clinical symptoms, testing for chlamydia smears from the cervix, scraping from the urinary canal, the first morning urine. Most often, the study is carried out by PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Swabs and scrapings may cause minor discomfort.

In addition, a blood test by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) for the presence of immunity to chlamydia is carried out, this auxiliary test often helps to establish an accurate diagnosis.

Treatment of chlamydia

Treatment of chlamydia is with oral antibiotics. To prevent re-infection, all sexual partners must be found, examined and treated. Patients with chlamydia should refrain from unprotected sex during treatment, otherwise it is possible to re-infect the sexual partner. Unfortunately, after successful treatment, re-infection with chlamydia is possible, since a strong immunity to this microorganism does not develop. Repeated infection of women with chlamydia leads to a significant increase in the risk of serious complications, including infertility. A re-examination is carried out 4 weeks after treatment.

Prevention of chlamydia

The best way to prevent sexually transmitted infections is through long-term sexual contact with one healthy sexual partner. Latex male condoms, when used correctly, drastically reduce the risk of transmission.

Annual chlamydia screening required for all sexually active women 25 years of age and younger. An annual examination is also necessary for women over 25 who are at risk (new sexual partner, multiple sexual partners). All pregnant women should be screened for chlamydia.

Any manifestations, such as pain or discomfort when urinating, unusual rash, discharge are a signal to stop sexual intercourse and immediately examine in a specialized clinic - KVD. If the patient is found to have chlamydia (or any other STI), he must inform his sexual partners so that they also undergo a full examination and appropriate treatment. This will reduce the risk of developing serious complications and prevent the possibility of re-infection.

Patients with chlamydia should refrain from unprotected sex during treatment, otherwise the sexual partner may be re-infected.

Chlamydia - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Fact Sheet

This web page is archived for historical purposes and is no longer being updated.

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can be easily treated. Untreated chlamydia can make it difficult for women to get pregnant.

print version

What is chlamydia?

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease; they can infect both men and women. It can lead to serious irreversible damage to a woman's reproductive system, making it difficult or impossible to get pregnant in the future. Chlamydia can also cause a potentially life-threatening ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus).

How is chlamydia transmitted?

You can get chlamydia through sexual contact (anal, vaginal or oral) with someone who has chlamydia.

If your partner is male, you can get chlamydia even if you don't ejaculate (ejaculate).

If you have had chlamydia before and have been treated, if you have unprotected sex with someone who has chlamydia, you can still become infected again.

If you are pregnant, your baby can get the infection from you at the time of birth.

How can I avoid getting chlamydia?

You can protect yourself from chlamydia by:

• abstaining from sex;
• being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested for STDs and is not infected;
• using latex pads and condoms correctly every time you have sex.

Is there a risk that I will get chlamydia?

Anyone can get chlamydia through unprotected anal, vaginal, or oral sex. However, sexually active young people are most at risk for chlamydia. This is due to the behavior patterns and biological factors inherent in young people. Homosexuals, bisexuals, and other men who have sex with men are also at risk of contracting chlamydia, as it is transmitted through oral and anal sex.

Talk honestly and openly with your doctor about whether you should be tested for chlamydia and other STDs. If you are a sexually active woman aged 25 or younger, you should be tested for chlamydia every year. Homosexuals, bisexuals and other men who have sex with men, as well as pregnant women, should also be tested for chlamydia.

I am pregnant. How will chlamydia affect my child?

If you are pregnant and have chlamydia You can infect your baby during childbirth. This can lead to an eye infection or pneumonia in your newborn. Having chlamydia also increases the chance of preterm birth.

If you are pregnant, you should be tested for chlamydia at your first prenatal visit. Tests and treatment are the best ways to prevent health problems.

How do I know if I have chlamydia?

Most people who have chlamydia do not have symptoms You have symptoms and may not show them for several weeks after you have had sex with an infected partner. Even when chlamydia causes no symptoms, it can cause damage to the reproductive system.

Women with symptoms may notice:

• unusual vaginal discharge;
• burning during urination.

Symptoms in men may include:

• discharge from the penis;
• burning during urination;
• pain and swelling of one or both testicles (although this is less common).

Men and women can also become infected with chlamydial infection in the rectum, either during passive anal sex or by passing the infection from another infected site (such as the vagina). While these infections often cause no symptoms, they can cause:

• rectal pain,
• discharge,
• bleeding

Call your doctor if you notice any of these symptoms, or if your partner has an STD or STD symptoms such as unusual sores, smelly discharge , burning when urinating or bleeding between periods.

How does my doctor know if I have chlamydia?

Laboratory tests are available to diagnose chlamydia. Your health care provider may ask you to give a urine sample or may take a vaginal swab (or ask you to do so) to test for chlamydia.

Can chlamydia be cured?

Yes, chlamydia can be cured with the right treatment. To recover from an infection, it is important to take all the medicines prescribed by your doctor. Proper medication will cure the infection and may reduce the chance of complications in the future. Medicines to treat chlamydia should not be given to anyone else.

Re-infection with chlamydia often occurs. You should be rechecked approximately three months after the end of treatment, even if your partner(s) have also been treated.

What happens if I don't get treated?

The initial harm caused by chlamydia often goes unnoticed. However, chlamydia can lead to serious health problems.

In women, untreated chlamydia can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes (tubes that carry fertilized eggs from the ovaries to the uterus), causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PIDs are usually asymptomatic, however, some women may experience abdominal and pelvic pain. Even if PID does not cause symptoms initially, it can lead to permanent damage to the reproductive system, long-term pelvic pain, inability to conceive, and potentially life-threatening ectopic (ectopic) pregnancy.

Men rarely have health problems due to chlamydia. Sometimes the infection spreads to the duct that carries sperm away from the testicles, causing pain and fever. In rare cases, chlamydia can prevent a man from having children.

If left untreated, chlamydia can also increase the risk of getting or passing on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS.

I have been treated for chlamydia. When can I have sex again?

You must not have sex until you and your partner(s) have completed your treatment. If your doctor prescribes a single dose of the medicine, you should wait seven days after taking this medicine before resuming sex. If your doctor tells you to take the medicine within seven days, you should wait until you have taken all the doses before you resume having sex.

Learn more

• 
  5Th pregnancy what to expect
• 
  How to relieve earache pain in child
• 
  Down syndrome sonograms
• 
  Cleaning baby bottle nipples
• 
  Why do newborns cry when born
• 
  Pregnant with itchy vagina
• 
  How to be healthy for pregnancy
• 
  How to live after losing a child
• 
  How many child soldiers are there in syria
• 
  How can i calm my child down
• 
  Upset stomach during third trimester