Chlamydia: Treatments

How is chlamydia treated?

Chlamydia is treatable, and prompt diagnosis and treatment can reduce the risk of developing serious complications, such as premature deliver and infertility, and minimize the spread of the disease to others. You can treat chlamydia by consistently following your treatment plan. Treatment plans generally include antibiotic medications and other treatments.

Antibiotic medications for chlamydia include:

• Azithromycin

• Doxycycline

• Erythromycin

Other treatments for chlamydia include:

• Abstaining from sexual activity until the infection is cured and all sexual partners have been treated, even if they have no symptoms

• Hospitalization for complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease and pelvic abscess

What are the possible complications of chlamydia?

Complications of untreated chlamydia can be serious. You can minimize the risk of serious complications by following the treatment plan you and your health care professional design specifically for you.

Serious complications of chlamydia include:

• An increased risk for contracting HIV

• Ectopic pregnancy

• Epididymitis

• Pelvic abscess

• Pelvic inflammatory disease

• Reiter’s syndrome

• Prostatitis

• Scarring of the fallopian tubes and infertility

Serious complications of prenatal chlamydia

Newborn babies are at risk if their mothers have chlamydia during pregnancy and delivery. Chlamydia infection can be passed from an infected mother to her baby during vaginal delivery and lead to serious complications including:

• Loss of vision and blindness

• Newborn pneumonia

• Premature delivery

If you are pregnant and experiencing symptoms or you are concerned about chlamydia, contact a medical professional.