Yes. There are treatment options for pregnant women that are safe and effective.
Pregnancy itself does not cause chlamydia, as chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. However, pregnant individuals can contract chlamydia if they are exposed to the bacteria. It is important for pregnant women to be screened for chlamydia, as untreated infections can lead to complications for both the mother and the baby. If diagnosed, chlamydia can be effectively treated with antibiotics during pregnancy.
Get tested before and/or early in pregnancy, get treated if you have chlamydia, make sure all partners are treated, and don't have unprotected sex with anyone who might put you or the baby at risk.
Babies get chlamydia during vaginal birth to an infected mother. They don't get infected before birth. An infected baby must be treated.
There are safe, effective treatments for chlamydia during pregnancy. It is much safer to take treatment than it is to stay infected. Both recommended treatments for chlamydia during pregnancy, azithromycin and amoxicillin, are medications that are regularly and safely used in newborns. Untreated chlamydia during pregnancy can cause premature rupture of membranes or preterm labor. A baby born to a woman who has chlamydia at the time of delivery may have pneumonia, infection of the reproductive tract, or conjunctivitis. Women treated for chlamydia during pregnancy should be retested three weeks after treatment, as well as three months after treatment. Women under 26 or with a new partner during pregnancy should also be tested in the third trimester to make sure they haven't been reinfected before delivery.
Yes, there is no harm in using a pad or tampon during treatment for chlamydia.
Typical treatment in pregnancy is one gram of azithromycin -- the same treatment for non-pregnant people with chlamydia. In many states, the partner can be treated without an exam, but laws vary from state to state. Ask your OBGYN about the possibility in your area.
Yes. Because of changes in the cells of the cervix during pregnancy, it's easy to get chlamydia during pregnancy or immediately after birth than it is at other times.
Chlamydia can be treated in a woman.
Effects chlamydia have on females are: 1) abnormal vaginal discharge, 2) burning when urinating, 3) burning and / or bleeding in the anus when defecating. If not treated, it can lead to ectopic pregnancy and PID.
Pregnancy does not give you immunity from chlamydia infection.
Chlamydia isn't treated with a shot. It's treated with oral medication (pills). Gonorrhea is treated with an antibiotic injection.
Hormone changes of pregnancy can cause changes in urination and vaginal discharge, spotting after sex, and can make UTIs (and thus painful urination) more common. But it makes sense to get tested for chlamydia during pregnancy. Contact your health care provider to schedule a test.