How sexually transmitted infections are damaging people's fertility and affecting the health of babies. How you can protect yourself.
Did you know that sexually transmitted infections are the second most frequent diseases in the USA? (The first being the common cold and the flu).
This pattern of increasing infection is also true in other countries and is becoming an issue of global concern, as aside from being extremely unpleasant for the sufferer, STI’s can cause infertility.
For instance, Chlamydia is a common STI which can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease. This disease can then lead to infertility. The worrying thing about Chlamydia is, it very often has no symptoms so the woman may not even be aware that she has it, and without treatment, it can affect her chances of becoming a mother.
Gonorrhoea is similarly difficult to detect and can be mistaken for a urinary tract infection. It can also lead to PID which causes scarring of the womb lining, preventing a developing embryo from implanting.
It can also be transmitted to men and cause swollen testicles which can lead to male factor infertility.
Syphilis is another infection that can have serious consequences for fertility, and if the disease is left untreated, in its latter stages can even kill the sufferer.
If the woman does manage to get pregnant while afflicted with any of these conditions, they may adversely affect her pregnancy and cause health problems. There is an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy, where the baby develops outside the womb, or for the STI to transmit to the baby during vaginal birth, which can then cause septicaemia, blindness and other serious problems.
How Can I Protect Myself?
Firstly, limit the number of sexual partners you have, as this will decrease your chance of infection. Use a condom.
If you think you may be at risk of any of the diseases mentioned in this article and you are planning on conceiving, get some STI tests done first. These are simple blood tests which can be carried out by your doctor or a GU clinic. If you feel self-conscious, there are also online pharmacies which sell STI test kits you can use at home.
If you do achieve a pregnancy or are already pregnant, you will be routinely offered blood tests to check for these conditions so that if they are detected, they can be treated appropriately.
Treatments are usually a simple course of antibiotics, so it’s well worth being tested if it will preserve your fertility and help protect any children you may have from complications.
