Q. Does having a Sexually Transmitted Infection affect your pregnancy options?
A.Yes!
When considering your pregnancy options, it is important to know if you have a Sexually Transmitted Infection. It is always best to be treated for a STI as soon as possible, but if you are considering having an abortion, you MUST receive treatment prior to having that abortion procedure.
Women who have an untreated STI (like Chlamydia or Gonorrhea) are up to 25% more likely to develop Pelvic Inflamatory Disease (PID) following an abortion procedure. So, it is important to be tested for STIs prior to making any decisions about the outcome of your pregnancy.
Citation: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/std/hiv/STDFact-STD&HIV.htm
Did you know?
- Of patients who have a Chlamydia infection at the time of an abortion, 23% will develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) within four weeks
- Chlamydia is the most prevalent bacterial STI
- Use of hormonal contraceptives increases your risk of contracting Chlamydia
- 75% of women who are infected with Chlamydia do not know they have it, because they have no symptoms
Definition: A common sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which can damage a woman’s reproductive organs.
Symptoms of Chlamydia in women include:
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Burning sensation with urination
- Lower abdominal pain
- Low back pain
- Nausea
- Fever
- Painful intercourse
- Vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods
Symptoms of Chlamydia in men include:
- Discharge from the penis
- Burning sensation with urination
- Burning and itching around the opening of the penis
- Pain and swelling in the testicles (though uncommon)
Treatment for Chlamydia:
- Treatment for Chlamydia should be done before having an abortion.
- Visit your doctor, who will prescribe antibiotics to treat your Chlamydia infection.
- Several antibiotics can successfully cure Chlamydia in adolescents and adults.
- It is important to take all of the medication prescribed to cure Chlamydia.
- Get yearly check-ups with your doctor.
- Stop having sex during treatment for Chlamydia.
- Notify all sex partners that you have an STI so they can be tested and treated.
- You should be re-tested for Chlamydia 3-4 months after finishing treatment.
Information on this page provided by the US Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.
www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/stdfact-chlamydia.htm
Did you know?
- Most of the infected women and men have no symptoms of Gonorrhea.1
- Those who do get symptoms of Gonorrhea won’t notice them for up to 30 days after infection.1
- Men and women who have any other sexually transmitted infection (STI) are at least two to five times more likely to get HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.2
Definition: A sexually transmitted infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract in women and men.
Symptoms of Gonorrhea in women include:
- Painful or burning sensation when urinating
- Increased vaginal discharge
- Vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods
Symptoms of Gonorrhea in men include:
- Burning sensation when urinating
- White, yellow, or green discharge from the penis
- Painful or swollen testicles
Treatment for Gonorrhea:
- Treatment for Gonorrhea should be done before having an abortion.
- Visit your doctor, who will prescribe antibiotics to treat your Gonorrhea infection.
- Several antibiotics can successfully cure Gonorrhea in adolescents and adults.
- It is important to take all of the medication prescribed to cure Gonorrhea.
- Get yearly check-ups with your doctor.
- Stop having sex during treatment for Gonorrhea.
- Notify all sex partners that you have an STI so they can be tested and treated.
- You should be re-tested for Gonorrhea 3-4 months after finishing treatment.
Citation: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1. http://www.cdc.gov/std/Gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm
2. http://www.cdc.gov/std/hiv/STDFact-STD&HIV.htm
Q. What is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease? See the answer.
Did you know?
- Each year in the United States, it is estimated that more than 1 million women experience an episode of acute PID.
- More than 100,000 women become infertile each year as a result of PID, and a large proportion of the ectopic pregnancies occurring every year are due to the consequences of PID.
- Annually more than 150 women die from PID or its complications.
Definition: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is a general term that refers to infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and other reproductive organs in women.
PID is a common and serious complication of some sexually transmitted infections, especially Chlaymdia and Gonorrhea, when left untreated. PID is a cause of infertility and ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy growing outside the uterus).
Symptoms of PID vary from none to severe. When PID is caused by Chlamydial infection, a woman may experience mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, while serious damage is being done to her reproductive organs. Because of vague symptoms, PID goes unrecognized by women and their health care providers about two thirds of the time. Women who have symptoms of PID most commonly have the following symptoms:
Symptoms of PID:
- Painful or burning sensation when urinating
- Lower abdominal pain
- Fever
- Unusual vaginal discharge that may have a foul odor
- Painful intercourse
- Painful urination
- Irregular menstrual bleeding
- Pain in the right upper abdomen, though rare
Citation: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1. http://www.cdc.gov/std/Gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm
2. http://www.cdc.gov/std/PID/STDFact-PID.htm
Directions (From Middletown & West)
