How does Gonorrhea spread?
You can get Gonorrhea by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has Gonorrhea. You are at high risk of contracting gonorrhea through vaginal, anal, or oral sex without a condom through a partner who has Gonorrhea. A pregnant person with chlamydia can give the infection to their baby during childbirth. Gonorrhea is very common, mainly among young people ages 15-24 years.
Sexually active youngsters are at a higher risk of getting Gonorrhea. Gay and bisexual men are additionally at risk since Gonorrhea can spread through oral and anal sex also.
If you are a sexually active woman, you should get tested for gonorrhea regularly, if you are:
- Younger than 25 years old.
- 25 years and older with risk factors, such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection.
How will you know if you have Gonorrhea?
Most people infected with Gonorrhea usually do not notice any symptoms Gonorrhea and chlamydia have similar symptoms, and the two STDs often occur together.
In females
- Vaginal discharge
- Pain during sex
- Bleeding between periods
- Pain when urinating
- Abdominal pain
In Men
- Pain or tenderness in the testicles
- Swollen scrotum
- Pain when urinating
- White, yellow, or greenish discharge from the penis
Book an appointment
Gonorrhea can cause blindness and other serious, sometimes life-threatening, complications in infants. Book an appointment if you notice any of these symptoms. You should also see a provider if your partner has an STD or symptoms of one.
- An unusual sore;
- A smelly discharge;
- Burning when peeing;
- Bleeding between periods.
What happens if you don’t get treated?
In women, untreated gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Some of the complications of PID are:
- Formation of scar tissue that blocks fallopian tubes;
- Ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the womb;
- Infertility (not being able to get pregnant); and
- Long-term pelvic/abdominal pain.
Men rarely have health problems from gonorrhea. The infection can cause a fever and pain in the tubes attached to the testicles. This can, in rare cases, lead to infertility. Untreated gonorrhea may also increase your chances of getting or giving HIV.
