The Basics of Chlamydia

One of the most popular STDs, Chlamydia is caused by bacteria. It can affect both sexes and is of special concern to women. One side-effect of having Chlamydia that goes untreated is infertility in women. Considering that it can have very few symptoms staying on top of your sexual health is really up to you.

Some Chlamydia facts and figures that you may be unaware of include:

* New Chlamydia cases are reported to be near 3 million each year.

* In the United States it’s estimated that 1 in 68 adults are infected with Chlamydia.

* By the time a woman reaches the age of 30, she’ll have a 50% chance of having had Chlamydia at some point in the past.

* Chlamydia can be transmitted via vaginal, oral and anal sex.

* The bacteria that are responsible for Chlamydia live in the vaginal secretions of women and in semen in men.

* Chlamydia is one of the STDs that can be transferred from a pregnant mother to her baby.

* Younger woman are the highest risk group when it comes to Chlamydia. This is because their cervix has yet to fully develop.

* Chlamydia is curable.

Diagnosis of Chlamydia is simple and involves a urine test. Many doctors suggest that individuals should ask for a Chlamydia test on a regular basis, since the symptoms that do exist are often attributed to other conditions.

One of the main reasons that women in particular need to be tested is because of the risk of developing PID. PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) can be a result of an infection with Chlamydia. Approximately 1 million women each year will develop PID. This is just in the United States.

Infertility can result when PID is not treated and considering that up to 50% of PID cases are attributed to Chlamydia it’s obvious that there is a reason for concern.

Every woman who is sexually active can take a few moments to visit the doctor and have a Chlamydia test. It can be the difference between having a baby in the future and fighting infertility.

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