Chlamydia Common in Pregnant Women

Almost 1 in 10 pregnant women (9.4%) studied by Australian investigators had Chlamydia, according to a report in the March issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. This increased to nearly 1 in 7 (13.5%) among women under 20.

Chlamydia, says UrBod Nutritionist Melody Mackeown, who specialises in pre-conceptual care, fertility and pregnancy, can lead to complication during pregnancy, leading to risk of premature labour, for example. If undiagnosed, it can put the newborn at risk for conjunctivitis and pneumonia. It is also thought that it can lead to miscarriage.

Testing is simple and can be treated by one course of antibiotics, says UrBod Nutritionist Melody Mackeown. However, antibiotics also destroy good as well as bad bacteria. As it is extremely important to maintain a healthy digestive system throughout pregnancy and to support the immune system, I would advise a course of probiotics if antibiotics are taken during your pregnancy. Furthermore, research has shown that prebiotics taken during pregnancy can lower the risk of babies developing allergies, says UrBod Nutritionist Melody Mackeown.

To find out more about Nutritional support during or before your pregnancy, contact UrBod Nutritionist Melody Mackeown Dip.ION (mBANT), specialist in pre-conceptual care, fertility and pregnancy care in the city of London, EC2. I have also written a free e-book on how you can improve your diet during your pregnancy, which can be obtained by clicking on my link.

Chlamydia – without treatment it can cause infertility

There is alot being said in the media about Chlamydia and its affect on fertility at the moment with good cause. With up to one in ten sexually active young people having Chlamydia in the UK, it's a real problem facing couples trying to have a baby.

'A study published in 2004 involving Swedish couples seeking infertility treatment found that men with chlamydia infection were less likley to father a child. But researchers have lacked good evidence about why men with the disease develop fertility trouble and how to reverse the problem'

'Men with chlamydia have more than three times the normal level of DNA fragmentation in their sperm, report researchers.' taken from new scientist article

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/4347858.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7044602.stm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/15/ncmlydia115.xml

What is it?

is one of the most commonly sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It's a bacterial infection, which is found in semen and vaginal fluids.

(http://www.bbc.co.uk/relationships/sex_and_sexual_health/stis_chlam.shtml).

You can buy tests from most chemists, but it is a good idea to see your doctor and to ask to be tested for Chlamydia if you or your partner is experiencing problems getting pregnant. Alternatively, you can visit your local hospital GUM clinic where you can receive a full health screen for free to see if you have any infections that might be affect your fertility. A further list of potential causes of infertility can be found here.

To find your nearest Hospital GUM clinic. Please note that both partners need to be tested as it is easily transmissible.

What's the treatment?

As it is a bacterial infection, it means that it can be easily treated by antibiotics and this is a highly effective way of dealing with this infection. However, as antibiotics can also kill friendly gut bacteria it is always a good idea to take a course of Probiotics (friendly gut bacteria) after your course of antibiotics. Please note, that if both couples are infected and are giving a course of antibiotics, they should refrain from sexual intercourse until the course of antibiotics is completed.

What are the symptoms?

As Chlamydia sometimes has no symptoms, in both men and women, it can often go undiagnosed, unless it leads to complications. Some women may have 'non-specific symptoms' such as:

• Cystitis
• A change in their vaginal discharge
• Mild lower abdominal pain
• Unusual vaginal discharge
• Bleeding between periods or during or after sex
• Pain with sex or when passing urine; and Lower abdominal pain

However, when complications arise it can lead to infertility. In women, Chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease. This can lead to:

• Miscarriage;
• Ectopic pregnancy (when a pregnancy develops outside the womb, usually in the fallopian tube);
• Blocked fallopian tubes (the tubes that carry the egg from ovary to womb); and
  Long-term pelvic pain

Chlamydia can also be passed from a mother to her baby during childbirth. Although no obvious symptoms are immediately apparent, the infection will often develop two weeks after birth, and can result in complications such as pneumonia.

Men might notice:

• White/cloudy, watery discharge from the tip of the penis
• Pain when passing urine or painful testicles

Chlamydia can also cause fertility problems in men, approximately half of all men with symptoms have impaired fertility, such as epididymitis.