Sexually transmitted diseases may not be discussed much among adults, but they’ve slowly crept into medical charts of the over 25-year-old population. Though gonorrhea diagnoses have lowered over the past several years, cases of chlamydia are on the rise. And that’s a cause for alarm among women and men who want to have children.
STDs like chlamydia have been known to cause infertility in both males and females. Whether complete or partial infertility, they are “hidden” causes. That’s because, surprisingly, many STDs have no (or very few) warning signs or symptoms.
So what can you do to protect yourself? There are several options:
- Don’t have sex with any partners who have not been screened for STDs.
- Always wear protection during any sexual intercourse and either abstain from oral sex or use protection during those acts as well.
- If you have had unprotected sex, get tested.
While it’s understandable that you may feel embarrassed to talk about STDs with your primary physician or fertility specialist, it’s necessary to remove the possibility that your infertility may be exacerbated by an undiagnosed condition such as chlamydia.
And be assured that reputable fertility clinics, like the Reproductive Science Institute (RSI) on the outskirts of Philadelphia, are staffed with trained professionals who pass no judgment and only want to help you achieve your health goals.