Can Infertility Stem from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)?
Can sexually transmitted infections (STIs) cause infertility?
In short: yes, they can.
There are plenty of unsubstantiated myths about STIs floating around, but it is indeed true that an untreated STI can affect your ability to have children one day.
Which STIs Cause Infertility?
In women, chlamydia and gonorrhea are the two most common STIs that cause fertility problems. But you are not guaranteed to become infertile just because you contract one of these diseases. You must have them for a long time, untreated, before they damage your reproductive system.
Unfortunately, this scenario is not as unlikely as it might sound.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea often cause only mild symptoms in women, and sometimes they do not cause any symptoms at all. So many women may not realize they need treatment. Symptoms of these diseases include spotting, vaginal discharge, and painful or burning urination.
In addition, it is easy to mistake either of these diseases for a urinary tract infection. The CDC recommends that sexually active women visit their gynecology clinic for an STI screening every year, just to be safe.
If chlamydia or gonorrhea go untreated for too long, they can turn into a more serious condition called pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID. PID is the real culprit behind fertility problems in women.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: An Overview
Pelvic inflammatory disease occurs when an untreated STI travels to the upper genital tract. Once the infection gets to the uterus or the fallopian tubes, it can do permanent damage to those structures by causing inflammation and scarring.
PID is more common than you might think.
Between 10% and 20% of women with an untreated STI will develop the condition. Symptoms of PID include:
- Lower abdominal pain
- Heavy vaginal discharge
- Bleeding during or after sexual intercourse
- Bleeding between periods
- Painful urination
- Fever or chills
If you think you could have PID, go to your local woman’s health clinic right away for an evaluation.
PID and Getting Pregnant
If PID causes extensive scarring to a woman's reproductive system, it can make getting pregnant very difficult, or impossible. Scar tissue can prevent eggs from traveling normally through the fallopian tubes. Scarring can also increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy, a very dangerous condition that involves an egg being fertilized in the fallopian tube instead of in the uterus.
Women with a history of PID may still be able to get pregnant with the help of a fertility specialist. Some couples can have a healthy pregnancy through IVF (in vitro fertilization). Some women also opt for surgery to remove scar tissue from the fallopian tubes.
However, the best treatment is still prevention. If you are a woman who wants to get pregnant one day, it is important to be aware of fertility-reducing conditions and treatments that work for those conditions.
The Takeaway
STIs are one of the leading causes of preventable infertility. STIs can be difficult to spot, since many of them are asymptomatic, so be proactive about your health.
Visit your gynecology clinic regularly to get screened for infections, and practice safe sex to reduce your risk of getting an STI in the first place.
As a leading provider of compassionate, highly qualified Lake City and Gainesville, FL OB/GYN care, specialists at All About Women Obstetrics and Gynecology offer women and families the best obstetrics and gynecology information and care – whether that be in-person or through outlets such as this website. Helping all women better understand their general health and pregnancy needs is a critical mission of the practice.
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