Did you know that 1 in 4 teens contracts an STD every year? And out of all of those, Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States.
One of the problems is that so many STDs rarely have any symptoms, so the people who get them don’t know they have them unless they get tested. Chlamydia is sometimes called the “Silent Epidemic” because it causes so much damage in so many people and it goes on being passed from person to person without being noticed.
That’s why it’s important to know the facts!
- While Chlamydia often shows no symptoms, they can sometimes include:
- Vaginal or penile discharge
- Burning during urination
- Lower abdominal pain, pain during intercourse, and irregular bleeding between periods in women
- Swelling or pain in the testicles in men
- Men and women under the age of 25 have a higher risk of being infected with chlamydia. That means people like me and you!
- You can get Chlamydia by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone else who has chlamydia.
- Up to 40 percent of women with untreated Chlamydia can end up with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a disease that can cause infertility or lead to an abnormal type of pregnancy called ectopic pregnancy, where the fetus starts to grow outside the womb, which is a medical emergency.
- Women who are pregnant with Chlamydia can spread it to their babies, causing an eye or lung infection.
- Women with Chlamydia are also five times more likely to get infected with the AIDS virus.
- The most common complication of Chlamydia in men is epididymitis, a painful infection in the testicles, which if left untreated can lead to sterility.
BUT… did you know that there are also ways to prevent yourself from getting STDs such as Chlamydia?!
- Try limiting your sexual contact to one faithful partner, who has been tested for STDs.
- Get yourself tested regularly—we can even help you find a clinic!
- Practice safe sex by using condoms correctly every time you have sex. What’s stopping you when TeenSource offers them for free to California teens through our Condom Access Project ?
So enjoy this holiday season worry- and STD-free (seriously, all those facts were pretty scary!) and don’t forget your condoms!