Pelvic inflammatory disease, human papillomavirus, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, genital herpes, and HIV are some of the STDs that affect fertility.

There has been increasing number of cases of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) from the past few years not only in India but all around the world. Why is it so? Maybe because there is lack of awareness or maybe because of carelessness from our own side as an individual. Whatever it is, but we all know how life-threatening the disease can be for us. Not all but yes, there are some of the sexually transmitted diseases that can affect your ability to get pregnant or to conceive the baby without passing on any virus to the little one.

Not only women but it is equally important for men to keep a check on their symptoms and see if their reproductive organs are not infected with a disease that can lead to future problems. However, a number of diseases can be cured if they are detected in the early stages. Proper medications and antibiotics can help an individual cure the disease. So what are all those diseases that can actually lead to a problem at the time of fertility? Let’s discuss.

STDs and Their Effect on Fertility

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is one of the most common STD that affects fertility. The disease is often caused by vaginal intercourse with an infected person who might have chlamydia or gonorrhea and it may cause pelvic, ovarian and fallopian tube damage. These chlamydia and gonorrhea cases left untreated can thus lead to PID. Talking about the United States alone, there are more than 1,00,000 cases are registered every year where women suffer from infertility due to PID and more than 1,000,000 cases of PID alone.

Read more: Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy

Human Papillomavirus

HPV is known to cause cervical cancer and is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. HPV can sometimes lead to infertility which can mainly happen because of the treatment procedures such as chemotherapy or a hysterectomy that can have major impact on the chances of a woman becoming pregnant. It is thus recommended by doctors that people between the ages of 9 and 26 years old should consider vaccination that can help to prevent the disease.

Read more: 7 Herbal Teas that Boost Fertility

Chlamydia

Chlamydia can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease(PID) which happens when the reproductive organs get inflamed mainly because they are bothered by an unwanted bacteria. PID can cause the pelvic organs to scar which acts as a roadblock to the sperm and thus not enabling it to reach the egg. Moreover, chlamydia can also affect your fallopian tubes which results in infertility. However, it has been observed that if a male reproductive organ has chlamydia, the chances of the couple getting pregnant reduces by around one-third.

Read more: 21 Home Remedies for Male Infertility

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection that can cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease(PID). It can also lead to infertility in male reproductive systems particularly by resulting in epididymitis. In case, epididymitis is not treated, it can lead to infertility. However, gonorrhea can be treated with proper medications and antibiotics. So, it is recommended you get regular STD testing.

Read more: Acupuncture for Boosting Fertility in Men and Women

Syphilis

Luckily, syphilis can be treated with penicillin if it is detected in the early stages. The number of new cases reports that the disease is generally observed in men who have sex with men but considering the present scenario, the disease can also be seen in humans with vaginas. If you become pregnant while still suffering from untreated syphilis, there are 50% chances of miscarriage or stillbirth in this case.

Read more: When is A Woman Most Fertile?

Genital Herpes

Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) is the root cause of Genital Herpes. Accordingly, females are much more likely to get infected with the disease and unfortunately, there has been no cure to this till date. Although Genital Herpes doesn’t affect your ability to get pregnant, it can be problematic to your fetus. For instance, you can pass the virus on to your newly born in case you have a herpes outbreak during your third trimester and it can be deadly for the little one.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) weakens your immune system, making it harder to fight the disease. HIV can also lead to AIDS which makes you sick easily because your immune system can no longer fight the infections. You can pass the disease to the fetus which means you can still get pregnant if you are suffering from HIV. Consult your doctor and take proper medications to ensure that you do not pass the virus on. The doctor will ask you not to breastfeed because babies can get infected with breast milk.

Hope this article was of help for all our parents!! Please share your comments/queries/tips with us and help us create a world full of Happy and Healthy Babies!!