What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection in the vagina, penis or anus. It is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). This means that you can get chlamydia if you have sex without a condom. Also of unprotected oral or anal sex you can get the disease.
Chlamydia does not always produce symptoms. The complaints that it gives, in women usually quite mild: some extra vaginal discharge, possibly painful urination. The danger of chlamydia is therefore that the infected person notices nothing. Meanwhile, he or she can infect other people. The bacterium multiplies unhindered. In the worst case causes in women infertility and ectopic pregnancies.
Men often notice more of chlamydia. They have pain when urinating and sometimes painful scrotum.
The GP makes chlamydia place with a smear or a urine test. You will get antibiotics. That helps well against chlamydia.
Not only do you have to take antibiotics themselves. Anyone with whom you've had sex without a condom has to take antibiotics. You must notify all your sexual partners over the last six months. Do you find it difficult? Then an employee of the Health Service can do for you.
To prevent chlamydia by during sex, always use a condom.
What are the signs and symptoms of chlamydia?
Chlamydia infection in the vagina gives little or no complaints. Women are sometimes little more than normal vaginal discharge, painful urination, interim bleeding, bleeding after intercourse or abdominal pain. But most women do not notice.
Over time the bacteria can cause pelvic inflammatory disease or uterine inflammation. Also, the infection increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
Chlamydia in pregnant women is dangerous for the unborn child. Pregnant women with chlamydia are more likely to premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor, a born prematurely and / or too small baby. Moreover, they can infect their baby during childbirth.
Men with chlamydia in the penis brands normally more of the infection than women. They have watery discharge from the penis, pain when urinating and sometimes pain in the scrotum. In men, chlamydia causes very rarely epididymitis or prostatitis.
Chlamydia infection in the anus gives irritation, itching and mucous discharge from the anus. This applies to both men and women.