Corey Whelan is a patient advocate with decades of experience in reproductive health.She is also a freelance writer specializing in health and medical content
Gonorrhea is a curable sexually transmitted infection (STI).It is spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex without a condom.Anyone who is sexually active and has sex without a condom can get gonorrhea from an infected partner.
You may have gonorrhea and not know it.This condition does not always cause symptoms, especially in people with a uterus.Symptoms of gonorrhea in people of any gender may include:
About 5 in 10 infected women are asymptomatic (no symptoms).You can also have mild symptoms that can be mistaken for another condition, such as a vaginal infection or bladder infection.
When gonorrhea does cause symptoms, they can occur days, weeks, or months after the initial infection.Late symptoms can lead to delayed diagnosis and delayed treatment.If gonorrhea goes untreated, complications can occur.These include pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can lead to infertility.
This article will discuss how gonorrhea can lead to infertility, the symptoms you may have, and expected treatment.
Gonorrhea is caused by gonococcal infection.If caught early, most cases of gonorrhea are easily treated with injectable antibiotics.Lack of treatment can eventually lead to infertility in women (those with uterus) and less often men (those with testicles).
If left untreated, the bacteria that cause gonorrhea can enter the reproductive organs through the vagina and cervix, causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in people with a uterus.PID can start days or weeks after the initial gonorrhea infection.
PID causes inflammation and the formation of abscesses (infected pockets of fluid) in the fallopian tubes and ovaries.If not treated early, scar tissue may form.
When scar tissue forms on the fragile lining of the fallopian tube, it narrows or closes the fallopian tube.Fertilization usually occurs in the fallopian tubes.The scar tissue caused by PID makes it difficult or impossible for the egg to be fertilized by sperm during sex.If the egg and sperm cannot meet, a natural pregnancy will not occur.
PID also increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy (implantation of a fertilized egg outside the uterus, most commonly in the fallopian tube).
In people with testicles, infertility is less likely to be caused by gonorrhea.However, untreated gonorrhea can infect the testicles or prostate, reducing fertility.
Untreated gonorrhea in men can cause epididymitis, an inflammatory disease.Epididymitis causes inflammation of the coiled tube located at the back of the testicle.This tube stores and transports sperm.
Epididymitis can also cause inflammation of the testicles.This is called epididymo-orchitis.Epididymitis is treated with antibiotics.Untreated or severe cases can lead to infertility.
PID symptoms can range from very mild and insignificant to severe.Like gonorrhea, it is possible to have PID without knowing it at first.
Diagnosis of gonorrhea can be done with a urine test or swab test.Swab tests can also be done in the vagina, rectum, throat, or urethra.
If you or your healthcare provider suspect PID, they will ask about your medical symptoms and sexual history.Diagnosing this condition can be challenging since there are no specific diagnostic tests for PID.
If you have pelvic pain or lower abdominal pain without any other cause, your healthcare provider may diagnose PID if you have at least one of the following other symptoms:
If advanced disease is suspected, further tests may be done to assess the extent of damage to your reproductive organs.These tests may include:
About 1 in 10 people with PID will be infertile due to PID.Early treatment is key to preventing infertility and other potential complications.
Antibiotics are the first-line treatment for PID.You may be prescribed oral antibiotics, or you may be given medication by injection or intravenously (IV, intravenous).Your sexual partner or partner will also need antibiotics, even if they have no symptoms.
If you are seriously ill, have an abscess, or are pregnant, you may need to be hospitalized during treatment.An abscess that has ruptured or may rupture may require surgical drainage to remove the infected fluid.
If you have scarring caused by PID, antibiotics will not reverse it.In some cases, blocked or damaged fallopian tubes can be treated surgically to restore fertility.You and your healthcare provider can discuss the feasibility of surgical repair for your condition.
Assisted reproductive technology cannot repair PID damage.However, procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF) can cover scarring of the fallopian tubes, allowing some people to become pregnant.If you have infertility caused by PID, specialists such as reproductive endocrinologists can discuss pregnancy options with you.
Neither surgical scar removal nor IVF is guaranteed to be effective.In some cases, you may wish to consider other options for pregnancy and parenthood.These include surrogacy (when another person brings a fertilized egg to term), adoption, and foster care adoption.
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection.Gonorrhea can cause infertility if left untreated.Early treatment is necessary to prevent complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women and epididymitis in men.
Untreated PID can lead to scarring of the fallopian tubes, making conception challenging or impossible for those with a uterus.If caught early, gonorrhea, PID, and epididymitis can be successfully treated with antibiotics.If you have scarring from advanced PID, treatment may help you get pregnant or become a parent.
Anyone who is sexually active and doesn’t use a condom, even once, can get gonorrhea.This very common sexually transmitted infection can happen to people of any age.
Having gonorrhea is not a sign of bad character or bad choices.It can happen to anyone.The only way to avoid complications like gonorrhea and PID is to always use a condom during sexual activity.
If you are sexually active or think you are at high risk, it may make sense to visit your healthcare provider regularly for screening.You can also test for gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted infections at home.A positive test result should always be followed up by visiting a healthcare provider.
Yes.Gonorrhea can lead to uterine fibroids and testicular epididymitis.Both conditions can lead to infertility.PIDs are more common.
Sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea and chlamydia are usually asymptomatic.You can be infected for a long time, even years, without knowing it.
There is no clear time frame for the damage they can cause.However, time is not on your side.Early treatment is essential to avoid complications such as internal scarring and infertility.
You and your partner must take antibiotics and abstain from sex for a week after completing all medication.You will both need to be tested again in about three months to make sure you are negative.
At that time, you and your healthcare provider can discuss when you should start trying to conceive.Remember, previous treatment for gonorrhea will not prevent you from getting it again.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) CDC fact sheet.