Women in Motion
Title: 
CHLAMYDIA THE SILENT EPIDEMIC

Susan Blatt, MD
10-15-03
Chlamydia is common and it tends to go unnoticed, consequently it is important to screen for it. Chlamydia infection is spread by sexual contact. It is particularly common in young persons who are sexually active. It appears that by the age of 30, 50% of sexually active women will have had chlamydia.

Chlamydia infection of the genital organs usually causes no symptoms. If symptoms occur in women, they may include urinary burning, abdominal pain, or pain during intercourse. Men with chlamydia infections may complain of burning when they urinate. It is important to remember that persons without any symptoms may have a chlamydia infection.

People who have multiple sexual partners are particularly likely to have chlamydia. Birth control methods do not protect against chlamydia infection. Condoms are helpful, but no method of protection is foolproof. Chlamydia can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

Normally when a young woman goes to a family planning clinic or a private physician she will have a pelvic exam and a Pap smear. Surprisingly, the test for chlamydia is not automatically done. Consequently, sexually active women should routinely ask for a chlamydia test, which involves taking a specimen from the genital tract and sending it for testing.

Chlamydia infection has some serious consequences. Women may have progression of the infection into the ovaries and tubes and those areas may become scarred, resulting in ectopic pregnancy or infertility. Untreated chlamydia infection during pregnancy can harm the fetus, causing prematurity, pneumonia or eye problems.

Treatment is with antibiotics. Partners who are sexually involved should be treated at the same time. The infection is easily treated with antibiotics. One protocol involves taking azithromycin in a single oral dose.

Men or women who test positive should ask their health care provider to test for other sexual infections including syphilis and gonorrhea. Also, the presence of a positive chlamydia tests indicates the need for HIV testing.

It is much better to prevent sexual infections than to try to identify and treat them. Both men and women should discuss frequently the need for a loving and monogamous relationship. Women should refuse unprotected intercourse and should resist subtle or overt pressure to comply with unwanted advances.