What are the health effects of chlamydia?
If untreated, Chlamydia infection can lead to other more serious problems – even if you don’t have any symptoms at first. In women, Chlamydia may lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), or fertility problems (difficulty in becoming pregnant). You might not want a baby right now but that may change as you get older. Chlamydia can be passed from a mother to her baby during childbirth. This can cause the newborn to have conjunctivitis and/or pneumonia. If men are not treated, the infection may spread to the testicles and cause pain/discomfort. If infected semen comes into contact with the eyes it can cause conjunctivitis (infection of the eyes). If left untreated, Chlamydia can cause Reiter’s syndrome. This is a form of arthritis which causes swelling of the joints, inflammation of the urethra (the tube which carries your wee from your bladder) and the eyes. These problems are rare, but the risk increases every time you get Chlamydia.
