About Having Chlamydia During Pregnancy

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By M.S. Beltran
eHow Contributing Writer

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Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease that can affect men and women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, an estimated 2.8 million people contract chlamydia each year, but because symptoms do not always manifest, an estimated one-third of cases in women goes undiagnosed and untreated. Chlamydia can result in fertility problems in nonpregnant women, and in pregnant women it can cause a host of serious complications if untreated.

Types

There are several types of chlamydia pathogens that affect different species, but two main types can be transmitted to humans. Chlamydia psittaci is an intestinal infection in birds, particularly common domestic birds such as parrots and parakeets, that can be transmitted to humans and results in viral pneumonia. Chlamydia trachomatis is more commonly known, which can be transmitted through vaginal, anal or oral sex, as well as from an infected pregnant woman to her baby through vaginal delivery.

Identification

Women with chlamydia may experience a burning sensation when urinating, pain during intercourse, vaginal discharge, abdominal or back pain, nausea or fever. Symptoms may take up to three weeks to manifest after infection, but some women with chlamydia do not experience any noticeable symptoms. Even if no symptoms are evident, pregnant women should talk to their doctors or caregivers about chlamydia screening.

Effects

Chlamydia trachomatis going untreated during pregnancy can lead to serious complications. Women who become pregnant while suffering from the infection have a much higher risk of ectopic pregnancy, which is always fatal to the unborn child and can be fatal to the mother. Another concern is premature labor and delivery, which puts infants at risk for breathing or digestive problems, as well as neurological complications. Chlamydial infections can also be transmitted to a baby's eyes or lungs when delivered vaginally.

Warning

Even if a pregnant woman does not show symptoms of chlamydia at the time of delivery, the bacterium can still be transmitted to the infant. Chlamydia is the leading cause of infant conjunctivitis, which carries the risk of corneal scarring and possible blindness. Infants treated early for conjunctivitis usually have a good prognosis. Early infant pneumonia is another concern if chlamydia is transmitted to the lungs. Pneumonia is also treatable, but the risks for complications increase with babies born prematurely.

Prevention/Solution

If a woman has been diagnosed or treated for chlamydia, her partner should also be tested for it, even if he is not showing outward signs of infection. If necessary, he should seek treatment, as couples can pass the infection back and forth to each other if they are not both treated. Latex condoms can reduce the risk of transmitting chlamydia, but until the infection is properly treated with antibiotics under a physician's care, abstinence is recommended, especially when the woman is pregnant or trying to conceive.