Chlamydia in Women
Women who have no idea they are infected with chlamydia can face serious and potentially life-threatening long-term health issues, including infertility and a heightened risk of ectopic pregnancies.
While chlamydia is easy to treat with antibiotics, most of those who have the infection don’t experience any symptoms.
Left untreated, it can cause permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive health, making it difficult or impossible to get pregnant later.
Chlamydia can also be spread from mother to baby during childbirth.
What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia is an infection caused by the chlamydia trachomatis bacteria. It spreads primarily through vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who is infected. It is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted infection in Canada, but it is sometimes called the “silent” infection because the majority of people who are infected do not have any symptoms and are unaware of their condition.
Rates in Canada have been steadily rising since 1997[i], with the number of reported cases jumping from 87,283 in 2009 to 117,008 in 2018[ii] -- an average increase of about 5 per cent per year.
More than three-quarters of chlamydia cases reported in Canada in 2018 were in patients aged under 30. It disproportionately affects sexually active youth and young adults.
The only way to find out if you have it is to be tested. It can be diagnosed via swabbing or a urine sample and is treated with antibiotics.
How does it spread in women?
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that is usually transmitted through vaginal, anal and oral sex, or through contact with infected genital fluids.
Chlamydia cannot be spread by sitting on toilet seats, swimming in a pool or sharing baths, towels or cutlery. It also can’t be spread through kissing, although a throat infection can spread to a partner who is receiving oral sex.
In addition to being transmitted through sex, chlamydia can also be spread via genital-to-genital contact, sharing sex toys that are not washed and through infected vaginal fluid or semen getting into your eye.
Those who have been treated for chlamydia and recover can get the infection again if they have sex with a person who has chlamydia.
How can chlamydia affect my baby?
The infection can be passed to your baby during delivery. It can cause an eye infection or in some cases, pneumonia. Having chlamydia can also increase the likelihood of an early delivery.
Testing is the best way to find out if you have chlamydia.
Symptoms
Although most people infected with chlamydia do not experience symptoms, common symptoms for women who do have symptoms include the following:
Vaginal discharge
A burning sensation when urinating
Pain in the lower abdomen, sometimes with fever and chills
Pain during sex
Vaginal bleeding between periods or after intercourse
In some cases, chlamydia infects the rectum and women can experience rectal pain, bleeding or discharge
Eye infections can also occur due to contact with infected genitals
What happens if chlamydia is left untreated in women?
It is estimated that when left untreated, up to 40 per cent of infected women develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can cause abdominal pain, fever, abscesses and pelvic pain. Scarring of the fallopian tubes can also cause infertility and increase the risk of ectopic or tubal pregnancies, which can be life-threatening.
Pregnant women who have chlamydia also face a higher risk that their baby will be born early or prematurely. As note above, if the infection is passed to the baby during childbirth, it can cause eye infections or lead to pneumonia.
Untreated chlamydia in both men and women can also increase the chances of getting or giving HIV.
How do you test for chlamydia in women?
A urine sample is normally required to test for chlamydia. In women, a vaginal or cervical swab may be taken for testing. The throat or rectum may also be tested for infection.
Testing is available free of charge in Canada via your family doctor or other clinics. Low-cost mobile testing options are also becoming increasingly popular for the privacy and convenience they offer.
If you’re a sexually active woman under the age of 25 who has unprotected sex, you are at greater risk of infection. Regular testing is recommended.
Treatment
Chlamydia can be easily treated with antibiotics. However, it’s very important to complete your course of medication, even if your symptoms subside. Those infected with chlamydia can resume sexual activities only when directed to do so by their healthcare provider.
How can you prevent chlamydia?
Chlamydia is extremely common but practicing safe sex can help reduce the risk of getting chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections. That includes consistently and correctly using a condom and other safe barriers. The only way to completely avoid it is to abstain from vaginal, anal or oral sex, or to be in a monogamous relationship in which both partners have tested negative.
If you suspect you have chlamydia or are diagnosed, it’s important to tell your partners that they could have an infection.
Those at greatest risk of contracting chlamydia in Canada include sexually active youth and young people. The risk increases for those engaging in unprotected sex with different partners.
[i] Choudhri Y, Miller J, Sandhu J, Leon A, Aho J, "Chlamydia in Canada, 2010-2015," Can Commun Dis Rep, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 49-54, 2018.
[ii] Overall and sex-specific rates of reported chlamydia cases in Canada, 2009-2018: Report on sexually transmitted infections in Canada, 2018 - Canada.ca
