Chlamydia: Easily tested. Easily cured.
What happens during a chlamydia test?
What are the risks of untreated chlamydia?
Anyone who is sexually active can get chlamydia. The more partners you have, the greater your risk. Sexually active teenage girls and young women are at especially high risk because the cervix (opening to the uterus) has not fully matured.
Specific groups that should be tested for chlamydia are:
- Females under age 20 who are sexually active
- Females under age 25 who have more than one sexual partner, don’t always use a condom or have cervicitis (inflammation of the tissues of the cervix)
Your doctor can tell you how often you need to be tested. Regardless of your age or gender, if you have more than one sexual partner or don’t always use a condom, you should be tested. You should also be tested if you are pregnant.
What happens during a chlamydia test?
Getting tested for chlamydia is simple and painless. In fact, it usually only requires providing a urine sample. A doctor can also detect chlamydia by taking a swab of the possibly infected area.
Chlamydia can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics. All of the partners of an infected person should be evaluated, tested and treated if necessary. Anyone diagnosed with chlamydia should not have sexual activity for seven days after taking antibiotics. That way, the chances of becoming infected again are lower.
What are the risks of untreated chlamydia?
Males and females both run the risk of infecting other partners. Females could experience pelvic inflammatory disease or chronic pelvic pain. They also might not be able to have children or could have complications if they do become pregnant. There is also an increased risk of HIV. Males run the risk of infections in the urethra, epididymis or prostate.
The best way to avoid chlamydia and all STDs is to abstain from sexual contact, or to be in a long-term, monogamous relationship with one person who is not infected. Correctly and consistently using condoms can reduce the risk.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention