How would I know if I have chlamydia

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Dr Richard Ma
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by Dr Richard Ma on Tue Jun 18, 2013 5:38 pm

Re: How would I know if I have chlamydia

It is great to hear that you and your partner are thinking of settling down to have a baby!

You can have a test to check if you currently have an STI such as chlamydia. If you have an infection, it may not be possible to know long you have had it for, unless you know when you last had a normal test or treatment for an STI. Unfortunately up to 70% of women and 50% of men with chlamydia infection may not get any symptoms at all.

Chlamydia can cause problems if you do not get it treated early as it can cause complications such as scarring in your tubes and therefore problems with fertility.

I would recommend you and your partner attend a sexual health clinic or your GP to get STI tests done - these may include chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B, depending on your sexual history and risk factors.

You can also talk to your doctor about making sure you are in best physical health to prepare for a pregnancy. This may include lifestyle advice such as smoking, drinking and weight management; vaccinations such as MMR, whooping cough and flu; also dietary supplements such as folic acid and vitamin D.

The FPA (formerly Family Planning Association) produces useful information about pre-conceptual advice:
http://www.fpa.org.uk/helpandadvice/planningapregnancy

Some lifestyle advice and what to expect during your pregnancy can be found on NHS Choices website: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy- ... aspx#close
Dr Richard Ma
General Practitioner

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