It is estimated that almost 3 million people in the US are infected with Chlamydia. When you consider that Chlamydia often produces no symptoms this statistic is not that surprising. You could be infected with the STD and not know and then pass it on to anyone that you have sex with. This also goes for the men that you’ve been involved with.
What few people realize is that infertility and Chlamydia are often linked. As a matter of fact, Chlamydia is one of the leading causes of infertility—preventable causes I should say. By leaving Chlamydia untreated a woman puts herself at high risk of ectopic pregnancy and infertility as well as other complications.
About Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease that can be passed on through vaginal, anal and oral sex. In women, it infects the cervix and urethra at first but can spread to the fallopian tubes and the rectum. Some women experience a mild discharge with Chlamydia but the vast majority of women have no symptoms at all.
The biggest misconception, aside from believing that a lack of symptoms means you are fine, is that you are safe if you are in a monogamous relationship. Since Chlamydia causes no symptoms, you or your partner may have contracted it long before entering into your monogamous relationship. And unless both of you have been tested and treated you can both continue to pass the infection back and forth for years.
Protecting Your Fertility
The only way to protect yourself against Chlamydia is to abstain from sex or wear a condom. Getting tested regularly if you are sexually active is crucial because the sooner you can treat Chlamydia, the better chance you have at stopping it from causing complications like infertility.
If you do get diagnosed with Chlamydia and get treated, your hope is that it was found in time and hasn’t caused any irreversible damage to your reproductive organs. Catching it and treating it early on is crucial in protecting your fertility so be sure to get regular STD testing even if you feel perfectly fine.
When it comes to infertility and Chlamydia, you really are better safe than sorry. The test only lasts a few minutes while the damage done by leaving it untreated could last a lifetime. It just isn’t worth the risk.
Talk to your doctor about STD testing today so that you can preserve your fertility for tomorrow.
