Gonorrhea during pregnancy
During pregnancy, in
order to protect your growing baby, one of the most important things is your
health. This may be more difficult for women who become pregnant with a
sexually transmitted disease or who become infected during pregnancy. What to
do with gonorrhea during pregnancy?
It is not impossible
to have a safe and healthy pregnancy with gonorrhea. You just want to work
carefully with your doctor and take whatever steps are necessary to ensure your
child's health. Gonorrhea during pregnancy doesn't mean you won't have a
healthy baby.
What is gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is a highly
contagious sexually transmitted disease that infects both men and women and is
transmitted through vaginal, anal and oral sex with a partner with gonorrhea.
If left untreated, the bacteria spread from the infection site within days or
weeks. The good news is that gonorrhea can be cured with the right treatment.
What are the symptoms of gonorrhea during pregnancy?
Gonorrhea is known to
be difficult to diagnose because it may not present immediately with obvious
signs. For many people infected with gonorrhea, the first sign is the onset of
symptoms in a partner, past or present.
Some men may not have
any symptoms, but other men report symptoms such as:
- Burning during urination
- Discharge from the penis
- Swollen and sensitive testicles
Like men, women may
not immediately experience any symptoms. Early symptoms can even be mistaken
for a bladder infection. However, this does not mean that gonorrhea will not
lead to serious complications despite the absence of symptoms.
Symptoms of gonorrhea
in women may include:
- Painful urination
- Increase in vaginal discharge
- Irregular vaginal bleeding
- Anal itching
- Soreness of the anus (for both men and women)
- Bleeding from the anus (for both men and women)
- Painful bowel movements (for both men and women)
As a rule, with treatment, gonorrhea can be completely eliminated. However, long-term effects may occur if treatment is delayed.