The facts
How do you get it?
Chlamydia is only passed on from someone who already has it (although they may not know).
The most common way of becoming infected or passing it on, is through unprotected sex (not using a condom) –
vaginal, oral or anal. This could have been recently, months or even years earlier.
It can also be passed on by:
- sharing sex toys,
- from genital fluids on your fingers,
- from mother to baby during birth, leading to conjunctivitis in the baby.
Wearing a condom significantly reduces the risk of getting chlamydia and other sexually
transmitted infections.
What is it?
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI).
But don’t worry, because it is easily treated with free antibiotics.
Who has it?
One in ten sexually active people under 25 tested will have chlamydia.
Very often, there will be no signs or symptoms that you have it.
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What can it do?
If left untreated, chlamydia can spread to other parts of the body, causing damage
that can lead to complications.
In women:
Chlamydia can spread to the reproductive organs causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
This can lead to:
- long term pelvic pain
- blocked fallopian tubes
- infertility
- ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy that occurs outside of the womb.)
In men:
- painful infection in the testicles
- reduced fertility
In both sexes:
Reiter’s Syndrome:
- inflammation or swelling of the joints can occur (reactive arthritis)
- inflammation of the urethra (the tube that urine leaves the bladder)
- inflammation of the eye
The risk of developing serious health problems increases if a
person becomes infected more than once.