Do sexually transmitted diseases cause infertility?

Yes. Sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea have become a lot more common than they used to be but are treatable if caught early on.

The problem is that because there are no symptoms of these, people assume that they are uninfected and so don’t bother with treatment. Unfortunately, if these are not caught early they can lead to long term problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which can cause infertility.

Chlamydia and gonorrhoea are particularly prevalent in young people who often think that they are immortal and so are unlikely to develop any disease. But no-one is immune when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases.

If you do contract a sexually transmitted disease then seek medical advice as failure to do so could prevent you from starting a family.

About infertility Guide Index:

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• What is infertility?
• How common is infertility?
• What causes infertility?
• How long should my partner and I try for a baby?
• Why is it more difficult to get pregnant when you are older?

• Isn’t infertility a woman’s problem?
• Do sexually transmitted diseases cause infertility?
• What is ‘unexplained infertility?’
• We both have a healthy lifestyle and enjoy regular sex so why can’t I become pregnant?
• When should we visit our GP?

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