Private MD News

STD testing can alert individuals to fertility-robbing health problems

Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Many sexually transmitted diseases present few symptoms upon infection. The worst consequences may not come until years later, which is why it is important for individuals to consider seeking STD testing if they have had unprotected sex.

For example, a recent study conducted by a group of Johns Hopkins University researchers showed that women who have had repeated bouts of pelvic inflammatory disease, a common symptom of untreated syphilis and gonorrhea, are twice as likely to suffer fertility problems later in life, according to HealthDay News.

"When it comes to [pelvic inflammatory disease], we must remain as vigilant as ever. Even though PID has changed over time, it is still very much a disease that can have detrimental consequences to a woman's childbearing ability and can lead to chronic pelvic pain down the road," lead researcher Maria Trent told the news source.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease reports that more than 100,000 women lose their fertility each year as a result of pelvic inflammatory disease. Another 150 individuals die from the condition. Anonymous STD testing can alert individuals to health problems that may lead to the condition.