Chlamydia spreads through unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex. It is carried in semen or vaginal fluid and can infect the cervix, penis, urethra, anus and rectum. In women, if untreated, the infection can spread to the fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This can lead to long-term pain, infertility and possibly ectopic pregnancy.
What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia trachomatis is a bacterium that causes an STD (sexually transmitted disease). It is one of the most common infections in the United States. It spreads through unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex and can also be passed from a woman to her baby during delivery. It is most common in young people, particularly those under 25 who frequently change sexual partners and use condoms rarely or not at all.
Most people with chlamydia don’t have any symptoms, so they can pass the infection to their sexual partner without knowing it. Chlamydia is easy to treat with antibiotics. If you have chlamydia, tell your sexual partner as soon as possible so they can get treatment too.
Symptoms of chlamydia include pain or a burning sensation when you pee (dysuria) and itching or burning in your vagina. In men, a symptom may be pain or mucus-like discharge from the penis or anal area. Chlamydia can spread upward in women to the uterus and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease or PID. PID can lead to long-term pelvic pain and infertility, and if left untreated, can cause serious complications during pregnancy, including ectopic pregnancy.
Women with chlamydia who do not receive treatment are at high risk of developing a serious condition called cervical cancer. They should also not attempt to become pregnant.
What are the symptoms of chlamydia?
Chlamydia often doesn’t cause symptoms at first. That means you may not know you have it until a few weeks or months after having unprotected sex. If a woman is infected, chlamydia can spread to her fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can lead to infertility. If a man is infected, symptoms might include a mucus-like discharge or pain when you pee (dysuria). The bacteria can also infect the anus, the throat, and the eyes (causing a condition called conjunctivitis).
Chlamydia spreads during unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex. It can also spread when a person touches their genitals and then touches someone else’s genitals. You can also get chlamydia by having anal or oral sex with a partner who has chlamydia. It can also be passed from a mother to her baby during childbirth.
Condoms can reduce your risk of infection, but they aren’t 100% effective. You can use a latex or polyurethane condom during sexual activity and a dental dam during anal or oral sex to help prevent STIs. Regular STI screening is recommended for all sexually active people because it helps detect chlamydia before the symptoms start and can reduce complications like PID and infertility. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends a leucocyte esterase test in urine for women and men to screen for chlamydia.
How do I get chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a bacteria that is spread through sexual activity. It can be spread through vaginal fluid or semen. It can also be passed during anal sex or oral sex. It can also be spread by sharing sex toys. Chlamydia can also be spread to the eye, causing conjunctivitis. In addition, if a woman has chlamydia during pregnancy, she can pass it on to her baby during childbirth.
Most people with chlamydia don’t notice any symptoms. This is why it’s important to use condoms every time you have sex and practice safe sex. Infections caused by chlamydia can be very dangerous and lead to serious health problems. It is important to get tested for chlamydia at least once a year. This is especially important if you have multiple sexual partners.
If you get diagnosed with chlamydia, it is important to tell your sex partner. If they don’t know, they could get reinfected and pass it on to you or another sexual partner. Also, if you have chlamydia and are not treated, it can spread to the womb and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or infertility. Women who have chlamydia during pregnancy can also pass it to their babies, leading to pneumonia in newborns. Chlamydia can also cause blindness if left untreated.
Can I get chlamydia with a condom?
Chlamydia is an infection that spreads through unprotected sex. Chlamydia can cause serious health problems, including infertility. If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to an ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus). Chlamydia is easy to treat with antibiotics.
Chlamydia can be passed through vaginal, anal or oral sex. It can also be spread through the sharing of sex toys and kissing. Most people with chlamydia don’t have symptoms and may not know they have the infection. Chlamydia can also be passed to a woman during childbirth or if she gives birth to a baby with chlamydia.
Condoms are a good way to prevent chlamydia and other STDs. They can be 98% effective when used correctly. However, condoms can burst or split during sexual friction. If this happens, you should still get tested for STIs because you could have been exposed.
You can reduce your risk of getting chlamydia by using condoms and water-based lubricant for all types of sex. It is also important to practice safe sex, especially when you first start dating or have new partners. If you are unsure how to use a condom correctly, ask your doctor or GP nurse for help. You should also talk to your doctor or GP nurse about getting tested for chlamydia and other STIs. They can recommend nurse-led STI services where nurses (called partner notification officers) will anonymously notify your sexual partners that you have chlamydia and tell them to get tested and treated as soon as possible.
