Can an STD Affect Your Fertility? What Women Should Know

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are preventable conditions that spread to partners during sexual activity. HPV, gonorrhea, and chlamydia are common STDs that men and women can get through sexual contact.

Some STDs don't have many symptoms, but they can wreak havoc on your reproductive system. In fact, untreated STDs may cause fertility complications that make it extremely difficult to start a family.

The good news is that there are plenty of prevention strategies, including condoms and STD testing, to reduce the risk. If you need an STD test or have had an STD and want to get pregnant, our specialists at OB/GYN North Dallas in Plano, Texas, are here to help.

We provide STD testing, treatments, and fertility advice for women who are ready to get pregnant.

STDs and fertility risks

Sexually transmitted infections include fungi, parasites, bacteria, or viruses due to anal, oral, or vaginal intercourse. Many STDs don't have symptoms, while others lead to problems, including infertility.

Both men and women can suffer from infertility due to untreated STDs. Even if a certain STD doesn't directly lead to infertility, it can have a profound impact on your internal and reproductive organs.

If you or your partner has had an STD in the past, there could be damage that can lead to infertility. Men suffer from epididymitis and testicular damage, while women may have pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ovarian damage, and scarred fallopian tubes.

Impact on female fertility

Women living with infertility struggle to conceive through regular intercourse. STDs are one of the many causes of infertility in women, but how?

Pelvic inflammatory disease is one of the major causes of infertility from STDs in women. Around 2.5 million women will have PID at some point in life, and one in eight women with PID has infertility in their lifetime.

Untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea can travel from the cervix into the fallopian tubes and uterus, leading to PID. The result is scarring and inflammation, especially in the fallopian tubes, which affects fertility in a few ways.

First, scarring can prevent the egg from reaching and attaching to the uterus, even if conception happens. Scarring also prevents sperm from getting into the fallopian tubes and reaching the egg.

Ovarian damage is another way PID affects female fertility. Inflammation causes ovarian damage that affects function and ovulation.

Prompt treatment of STDs is necessary to prevent irreversible damage to your reproductive system that may prevent you from conceiving naturally.

Prevention and protection tips

One key to preventing infertility is preventing STDs. Use condoms every time you have sex and use them correctly to prevent STDs from spreading.

Regular STD testing is another way of preventing STDs. Talk to your partner about getting STD testing before taking the plunge into unprotected sex. Open communication with your partner is also crucial for prevention.

If you do test positive for an STD, prompt treatment can protect your fertility. See our team for treatment after a positive test to prevent infertility issues.

To learn more about our STD testing and fertility treatments, call our Plano, Texas, office today or use our convenient online booking tool.