Annual screening for gonorrhea and chlamydia is recommended for teenagers and women aged 25 years and younger who are sexually active and for women older than 25 years if they have risk factors. Teenagers and women also should be tested for syphilis if they are at high risk of this STD.
You can take steps to avoid getting gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis. These safeguards also help protect against other STDs: Use a condom. Both male and female condoms are sold over-the-counter in drug stores. They help protect against STDs. Limit your sexual partners. The more sexual partners you have over a lifetime, the higher your risk [...]
Gonorrhea and chlamydia are treated with antibiotics.
Both gonorrhea and chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection that occurs when bacteria move from the vagina and cervix upward into the uterus, ovaries, or fallopian tubes (see the FAQ Pelvic Inflammatory Disease). After a woman is infected with gonorrhea or chlamydia and if she does not receive treatment, it can take [...]
To find out if you have gonorrhea or chlamydia, your health care provider may take a sample of cells from your throat, cervix, urethra, or rectum where the infection may occur. Gonorrhea and chlamydia also can be detected with a urine test.
Women with gonorrhea or chlamydia often have no symptoms. When symptoms from either infection do occur, they may show up 2 days to 3 weeks after infection. They may be very mild and can be mistaken for a urinary tract or vaginal infection. The most common symptoms in women include the following: A yellow vaginal [...]
Although gonorrhea and chlamydia can occur at any age, women 25 years and younger are at greater risk of both infections.
Gonorrhea and chlamydia infections can occur in the mouth, reproductive organs, urethra, and rectum. In women, the most common place is the cervix (the opening of the uterus).
Both gonorrhea and chlamydia are caused by bacteria. The bacteria are passed from one person to another through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Gonorrhea and chlamydia often occur together.
Gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). These three STDs can cause serious, long-term problems if they are not treated, especially for teenagers and young women.
