WHAT IS CHLAMYDIA?
Chlamydia, pronounced kluh-MID-ee-uh, is the most commonly reported STD in the U.S. It is a bacterial infection that can be passed on during unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Chlamydia affects both women and men. It often has no symptoms. But if left untreated, it can do permanent damage to your body. For example, it can leave women unable to have children later in life. The good news is that chlamydia can be treated and cured with antibiotics. The only way to know if you have it is to GYT—Get Yourself Tested. Check out these FAQs about chlamydia.
HOW COMMON IS CHLAMYDIA?
- It is the most commonly reported STD in the U.S.
- An estimated three million Americans are infected with chlamydia each year.
- It is most common among people ages 15-24.
HOW DOES SOMEONE GET CHLAMYDIA?
- You can get chlamydia by having unprotected sex with someone who has it—even if your partner shows no signs.
- You can get chlamydia from a one-time partner or from a long-term partner—even if you’ve only had one lifetime partner or are in a monogamous relationship. Your partner may have gotten it from an earlier relationship without knowing it.
- You can have chlamydia for a long time without having any symptoms. That’s why it is often passed between partners who are not aware they have it.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CHLAMYDIA?
WOMEN
Most women who have chlamydia don’t know it. That’s because most of them don’t have symptoms or notice that something is wrong. If you do notice any symptoms, you may notice:
- Abnormal discharge from your vagina
- Burning when you urinate
- Pain or discomfort during sex
- Pain in your lower belly or back, sometimes with a fever
- Bleeding after sex or between periods
- Pain, bleeding, or discharge from your rectum if you have anal sex
MEN
Half of men with chlamydia have no symptoms. In cases where there are symptoms, you might notice:
- Discharge from your penis
- Burning when you urinate
- Burning and itching around the opening of your penis
- Pain, bleeding, or discharge from your rectum if you have anal sex
HOW CAN I FIND OUT IF I HAVE CHLAMYDIA?
The only way to know if you have chlamydia is to GYT—Get Yourself Tested. Get tips on bringing up testing with your health care provider at gytnow.org.
There are clinics that offer free and confidential testing. To find a testing center near you, enter your zip code finder at gytnow.org or text your zip code to GYTNOW (498669).
Worried about confidentiality or cost? There are clinics that offer confidential and low cost or free testing.
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN GETTING TESTED FOR CHLAMYDIA?
WOMEN
Women can be tested with:
- A urine sample.
- A sample (swab) from your cervix or vagina. A health professional can take this sample during your routine pelvic exam* or Pap test.** But you are not automatically tested for chlamydia or any other STD during these routine exams. You need to ask if you want to be tested.
- A self test (vaginal swab)—in some parts of the United States, tests are available so you can do this yourself at iwantthekit.org.
MEN
Men can be tested with:
- A urine sample.
- A sample (swab) from your penis. A health professional can take this sample.
* During a pelvic exam, a provider visually and manually inspects your reproductive organs to look for infections and other possible problems.
** A Pap test is a screening test for cervical cancer, which is usually done during a pelvic exam. This test is part of a woman’s regular checkup.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I BE TESTED?
WOMEN
If you’re 25 or under and sexually active, you should be tested for chlamydia at least once a year—even if you don’t have symptoms. This is because it can have serious complications if left untreated—like leaving women unable to have children later in life. Regular testing for chlamydia allows you to find and treat it before it leads to serious health problems.
You should also get tested for chlamydia if you are:
- Having sex with more than one partner
- Having sex with a new partner
- Having sex with someone who might have chlamydia
- Pregnant
You can’t assume you are being tested for chlamydia during regular doctor’s visits. Make sure to ask your doctor to test you.
MEN
Men should get tested for chlamydia if:
- Your current or recent partner is diagnosed with chlamydia
- You are experiencing possible symptoms like discharge or burning during urination which could mean an STD infection.
Routine chlamydia screening is not recommended for all men, but it is important for sexually active men to see a health care provider for regular checkups. Your provider can tell you if you need to be tested for chlamydia or other STDs, based on your individual risk.
WHAT IF I TEST POSITIVE FOR CHLAMYDIA? WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The good news is that chlamydia can be treated and cured with antibiotics.
Some things to keep in mind if you are diagnosed with chlamydia:
- If you test positive for chlamydia, your partner(s) should be tested and treated, too.
- Don’t stop taking the antibiotics until the entire prescription is finished, or you will not be cured.
- Don’t share your antibiotics with others.
- You should get tested again about three months after you finish your treatment (or as soon after that as possible)—especially if you’re not sure whether your partner was also treated. This is to make sure you are cured and have not been re-infected.
If you had symptoms that didn’t go away after treatment, it’s important to go back to the doctor to get re-evaluated.
IF I HAVE CHLAMYDIA, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR MY PARTNER?
- If you have chlamydia, your partner may have chlamydia too, so they should also get tested and treated if necessary.
- If your partner has chlamydia and doesn’t get treated, you may get re-infected if you’re still having sex.
- If you and your partner are infected, avoid having sex until you’ve both finished your treatment—so you don’t re-infect each other.
Get tips on talking with your partner about chlamydia and other STDs at gytnow.org.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T GET TREATED?
Even if you don’t show any symptoms, chlamydia can stay in your body if it is not treated, and you can pass it on to your partners.
WOMEN
For women, it can sometimes spread into your reproductive organs and cause serious and painful infections, like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).* These infections can damage your reproductive organs, leading to problems such as
- Chronic (or lasting) pain in your pelvic area
- Infertility (inability to get pregnant)
- Ectopic pregnancy—this is an abnormal pregnancy, in which the fertilized egg grows outside the womb (uterus). This can be life-threatening.
If you are pregnant and do not treat chlamydia, you could pass the infection to your baby when giving birth. Chlamydia can cause serious health problems for babies, including eye infections and pneumonia.
MEN
Complications from chlamydia are rare in men, but could include pain and swelling of the testicles.
* PID is an infection of the uterus (womb), fallopian tubes (which carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus), and other reproductive organs. It can cause painful symptoms like lower stomach pain. If untreated, PID can lead to infertility.
CAN I GET CHLAMYDIA AGAIN AFTER I’VE BEEN TREATED?
Yes, you can get chlamydia again if exposed to someone who has it, even if you’ve been treated and cured in the past.
HOW CAN I REDUCE MY RISK OF GETTING CHLAMYDIA?
You can reduce your risk of getting chlamydia and other STDs by:
- Using condoms each and every time you have sex, from start to finish.
- Getting tested with your partner, and getting treated as necessary.
- Having sex with only one partner, who’s been tested and is not infected, and who’s only having sex with you.
Washing the genitals, peeing, or douching after sex will not prevent chlamydia or other STDs.
Talk with your partner about condoms and getting tested before you start to have sex. It is a lot easier than discovering you have an STD after you’ve had sex.
