If I have no symptoms, how can I know if I have chlamydia?

The only reliable way is through screening tests—urine samples or swabs from the cervix, urethra, or throat. Routine screening is recommended for sexually active people under 25, those with new partners, or those with symptoms.

How long does it take for antibiotics to cure chlamydia, and what should I do after finishing treatment?

Most antibiotic courses last 7–14 days. Complete the full prescription even if symptoms disappear. Notify any recent partners so they can be tested and treated. Retest 3 months later to confirm cure.

Can untreated chlamydia lead to infertility, and how can I prevent that?

Yes, untreated infection can cause pelvic inflammatory disease in women and epididymitis in men, both of which can impair fertility. Early detection, prompt antibiotic treatment, and safe sex practices (condoms, limiting partners) are key to prevention.

What are the risks of passing chlamydia to a baby during childbirth, and how can it be avoided?

Chlamydia can be transmitted to the infant during delivery, potentially causing conjunctivitis or pneumonia. Pregnant women should be screened early in pregnancy and treated if positive. In some cases, a cesarean section may be considered if infection is active near delivery.

Chlamydia Infections

Chlamydia is a common, curable sexually transmitted infection that often presents without symptoms but can lead to serious long-term health complications if left untreated.

Overview

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. Anyone can get chlamydia. It often doesn't cause symptoms, so people may not know that they have it. Antibiotics can cure it, but if it's not treated, chlamydia can cause serious health problems.

How is chlamydia spread?

You can get chlamydia during oral, vaginal, or anal sex with someone who has chlamydia. Chlamydia can also be passed to the baby during childbirth. If you've had chlamydia and were treated in the past, you can get re-infected if you have unprotected sex with someone who has it.

Who is more likely to get chlamydia?

Chlamydia is more common in young people, especially young women. You are more likely to get infected with chlamydia if you don't consistently use a condom or if you have multiple partners.

What are the symptoms of chlamydia?

Chlamydia doesn't usually cause any symptoms, so you may not realize that you have it. Even if you don't have symptoms, you can still pass the infection to others. If you do have symptoms, they may not appear until several weeks after you have sex with someone who has chlamydia.

Symptoms in women

Abnormal vaginal discharge, which may have a strong smell
A burning sensation when urinating

If the infection spreads, you might get lower abdominal (belly) pain, pain during sex, nausea, and fever.

Symptoms in men

Discharge from your penis
A burning sensation when urinating (peeing)
Pain and swelling in one or both testicles (although this is less common)

If the chlamydia infects the rectum (in men or women), it can cause rectal pain, discharge, and bleeding.

Diagnosis

There are lab tests to diagnose chlamydia. Your health care provider may ask you to provide a urine sample or use a cotton swab to get a sample from your vagina to test for the infection.

Who should be tested?

You should go to your provider for a test if you have symptoms of chlamydia or if you have a partner who has an STI. If you are pregnant, you should get a test at your first prenatal visit.

People at higher risk should get checked for chlamydia every year:

Sexually active women 25 and younger
Older women who have new or multiple sex partners or a sex partner who has an STI
Men who have sex with men (MSM)

Complications

In women, an untreated infection can spread to your uterus and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can cause permanent damage to your reproductive system, leading to long-term pelvic pain, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Women who have had chlamydia infections more than once are at higher risk of serious reproductive health complications.

Men often don't have health problems from chlamydia, but sometimes it can infect the epididymis (the tube that carries sperm), causing pain, fever, and, rarely, infertility.

Both men and women can develop reactive arthritis, a type of arthritis that happens as a "reaction" to an infection in the body. Babies born to infected mothers can get eye infections and pneumonia, and the infection may make it more likely for a baby to be born too early. Untreated chlamydia may also increase your chances of getting or giving HIV.

Treatment & Management

Antibiotics will cure the infection. You may get a one-time dose or need to take medicine every day for 7 days. It is important to take all the medicine prescribed. Antibiotics cannot repair any permanent damage the disease has caused.

To prevent spreading the disease, you should not have sex until the infection has cleared up. If you received a one-time dose, wait 7 days after taking the medicine to have sex again. If you took medicine for 7 days, do not have sex until you have finished all doses. It is common to get a repeat infection, so you should get tested again about three months after treatment.

Prevention

The only sure way to prevent chlamydia is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading chlamydia. If you or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.