STDs, or Sexually Transmitted Diseases, can have a variety of negative impacts on a person’s life. STDs can cause not only the immediate symptoms of their particular disease, but they can cause long term consequences as well. One of the ways that STDs can affect a person is by putting their future fertility at risk, as well as affecting pregnancy. If you have had an STD before, it is important for you to tell your doctor before becoming pregnant, or if you have become pregnant.

Many STDs are particularly dangerous in that they may have only minor symptoms, or sometimes no symptoms at all. Because of the lack of serious symptoms, many times STDs go without getting the treatment that is necessary to clear them up. Some STDs may not even have any visible symptoms other than infertility. Talking to your doctor can help diagnose the STD as well as help her determine the best course of treatment.

Chlamydia is one of the most common STDs. Chlamydia is one of the specific STDs that can put your future fertility at risk. For women, symptoms of Chlamydia are very often transparent. If Chlamydia does have symptoms, they will include unusual vaginal discharge, pain in urination, or pain in intercourse. Chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, also known as PID, or epididymitis. Both of these can cause fertility problems.

Gonorrhea is another STD that can put your future fertility at risk. Gonorrhea is transmitted by bacteria that live in the fluids of the body. Gonorrhea symptoms can include nausea, bleeding after sex, or a yellow or bloody vaginal discharge. Like Chlamydia, Gonorrhea can lead to PID or epididymitis.

Trichomoniasis is another STD that can put fertility at risk. Trichomoniasis is fairly common for an STD, and the symptoms can include a yellow-ish green vaginal discharge, pain during sex, and itching of the genitals. When going untreated, Trichomoniasis can cause the inflammation of the fallopian tubes, causing fertility problems.

Herpes is an STD that can put a woman’s pregnancy at risk. The biggest risk that herpes creates in regard to pregnancy has to do with a risk of infecting the baby during the delivery process. If a woman has genital herpes during the delivery process the doctor will check for lesions or other signs of a herpes out break. If there are legions present, your doctor will very likely want you to have a caesarean section delivery to prevent the baby from physically coming into contact with the herpes virus.

The risks of having other STDs while pregnant carry some of the same risks as they do for women who are not pregnant or who are trying to conceive. STDs can cause PID, chronic hepatitis, cervical cancer, or other types of cancers for the pregnant woman just as easily as they can for a woman who is not pregnant. In addition, having an STD while pregnant can lead to the early onset of labor, or infection after delivery. Some STDs can lead to stillbirth, conjunctivitis, low birthweight, blindness, deafness, and a whole host of other problems. In addition, many STDs can be passed from the pregnant woman on to her baby before birth, or during the delivery process.

Posted in Pregnancy

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