Chlamydia Tests
Why It Is Done
A test for chlamydia is done to:
- See whether symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease (STD) are caused by a chlamydia infection.
- Check people who are at high risk for being infected with chlamydia. A chlamydia infection does not always cause symptoms. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends checking for chlamydia for:
- All sexually active women age 24 or younger.
- Women older than age 24 with high-risk sexual behaviors.
- All pregnant women in the first trimester and again in the third trimester if high-risk sexual behaviors are reported. Treating a pregnant woman who has a chlamydia infection can prevent an infection in her newborn.
- All women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
- All women with symptoms of a cervical infection (cervicitis) found on a pelvic exam.
- Check for infection in a newborn whose mother had a chlamydia infection at the time of delivery.
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| Author: | Sandy Jocoy, RN | Last Updated: January 9, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH - Infectious Disease | |
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| Topic Contents | |
| Test Overview | |
 | Why It Is Done |
| How To Prepare | |
| How It Is Done | |
| How It Feels | |
| Risks | |
| Results | |
| What Affects the Test | |
| What To Think About | |
| References | |
| Credits | |