chlamydia

Chlamydia – what you need to know
Around one in 10 under 25 year olds who’ve had sex and taken a chlamydia test find they’ve got it. Both men and women can catch it, but because there often aren’t any symptoms, they probably won’t know if they’ve got it. The good news is, there’s now a quick and easy urine test you can take. And if you’re between 16 and 24, it’s completely free.

What is chlamydia?
It’s a sexually transmitted infection or STI, so you can get it by having sex with someone who already has chlamydia. It’s caused by bacteria that affect the sexual organs, but the scary thing is, you probably won’t notice anything wrong, so you won’t know you’ve got it. And if you have, you can pass it on to anyone you have sex with.

Most people don’t spot any symptoms, but some do, and they can include:

• Pain when you’re having sex or urinating
• Unusual discharge
• Bleeding after sex or between periods
• Pain below your belly button or in your testicles

If you notice any of these, see a doctor or nurse straight away. You can visit your GP or, if you’d rather, a Sexual Health or contraceptive (family planning) clinic.

If you have chlamydia and it’s not treated, the infection can spread to other parts of your body and may cause the problems listed on this page. In women, untreated chlamydia may also stop you getting pregnant in the future or lead to an ectopic pregnancy, where the foetus grows outside the womb.

Where can I get tested?
You can order a free postal test kit to do at home at: http://freetest.tht.org.uk

Free Chlamydia testing is also available at all YPF Pharmacies and from your GP or contraception clinic. Visit www.youngpeoplefriendly.co.uk/service-map to find out where you can get a free Chlamydia test.

If the test is negative you will usually get a text message to say that you don’t have Chlamydia. If the test is positive, someone will call you and tell you to go to a clinic to get free antibiotics, which will clear up the infection for you in 7 days. If you are pregnant you should tell the person that gives you the test or the nurse at the clinic, so that they can make sure any treatment is safe for you to take.