Pregnant women are being urged by doctors to get tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as their babies could go blind if the infection passes on to them.

If left untreated, STIs such as gonorrhoea and chlamydia can be passed on from mothers to their newborn baby, leading to a serious eye infection and, in the most severe cases, blindness.

Most STIs can be treated with antibiotics, but a far more antibiotic-resistant strain of gonorrhoea has been identified in England recently.

In light of this, a new study by men’s health platform Manual has revealed that chlamydia and gonorrhoea were the two most common STIs among women in England in 2020.

The report found that there were 88,674 reported cases of chlamydia and 15,509 cases of gonorrhoea, closely followed by 13,094 cases of herpes in 2020.

If left untreated, STIs can have some serious health implications. Women overall are more at risk of further health problems from infections than men.

This is due to a number of reasons including women are more likely to be asymptomatic, confusing symptoms for other health issues like yeast infections and some symptoms such as genital ulcers may not be visible.

Below, Dr Earim Chaudry, Medical Director at Manual, breaks down three must-know health complications that can develop from an STI in women, as well as symptoms and treatments:

Infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease

If left untreated, around 10-15% of women with chlamydia will develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which can lead to infertility and permanent damage of reproductive organs.

PID causes scarring on the fallopian tubes and other reproductive organs, which makes it difficult for the sperm to reach an egg.

Symptoms of PID: Lower abdomen and pain, abnormal vaginal discharge, pain during intercourse, a high temperature (fever), painful or difficult urination, irregular menstrual periods.

Prevention: Regular testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea and using condoms.

Cervical cancer

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common cause of cervical cancer which can be spread through sexual contact.

Women with chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, or herpes have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer. Cervical cancer doesn’t have any symptoms during its early stages, and it is normally detected through regular screening exams.

Symptoms of cervical cancer: Pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between periods or after menopause, watery or bloody vaginal discharge with a foul odour.

Prevention: Regular screening exams such as a Pap (smear) test and HPV test, using condoms to reduce the risk of spreading STIs, particularly HPV.

Complications during pregnancy

Women who have an STI during pregnancy will experience many of the same complications as women who are not pregnant.

However, having an STI during pregnancy can lead to many other health implications such as premature labour which can lead to stillbirth, neonatal death, or long-term developmental and health problems in children, infections of the uterus or womb after birth, passing an STI on before and during the baby’s birth and complications with breastfeeding.

Preventions: Antibiotics that are safe to take during pregnancy, being tested for STIs in early pregnancy and nearer childbirth, using condoms and vaccines to protect against HPV and hepatitis B.

If you’re showing symptoms of one of these conditions, or are worried about them, seek the advice of your GP or a trained medical professional.