Chlamydia is a common, curable sexually transmitted disease (STD). STDs are infections that spread through sexual contact. Most people with chlamydia do not have symptoms. Treatment can stop the spread of the infection and help prevent long-lasting problems.
Treatment:
For the infection to go away, your teen needs to:
- Take the antibiotics exactly as prescribed. They should not stop taking the medicine early, because the infection could come back.
- Tell all partners from the last 2 months to get tested and treated.
- Not have sex until they and their partners are treated and any symptoms of chlamydia are gone (such as pain in the lower belly; fever; unusual discharge from the vagina, penis, or anus; and pain when peeing).
Follow up:
Help your teen:
- Go for follow-up testing as recommended by the health care provider.
- Get all doses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (shot). HPV is an STD that can lead to some kinds of cancer and genital warts.
What happens if chlamydia is not treated? If it's not treated, chlamydia can lead to:
- a serious infection in a girl's reproductive system
- infertility (trouble getting pregnant)
- swelling in a guy's testicles and tubes at the back of the testicles
How can my teen avoid getting another STD? The only way to completely prevent chlamydia and other STDs is to not have sex. To lower the risk of getting an STD, people who choose to have sex can:
- Use a latex condom every time they have sex (vaginal, oral, or anal).
- Get tested with any new partners before having sex.
- Have sex with only one partner (who doesn't have sex with other people).
Where can we get more information? Parents can help their kids make safe choices about their sexuality. Here are some resources for you and your teen.
For parents:
For teens:
