Gonorrhea in women

Gonorrhea in women

In women, gonorrhea is a major cause of cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is a serious disease that can lead to ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and chronic pelvic pain.

Seventy-five percent to ninety percent of gonorrhea infections in women show no physical symptoms of infection.

Gonorrhea in females can lead to:

• Pharyngitis (throat infection)
• Cervicitis
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Endometritis

Gonorrhea and pregnancy

Pregnant women who are at risk or living in a high-prevalence area should get tested for gonorrhea.

N. gonorrhea can be transmitted to the newborn from the mother’s genital tract at the time of birth and can cause eye infections in the newborn (ophthalmia neonatorum). The risk of transmission from an infected mother to her infant is between 30 and 47 percent. For the mother, gonorrhea infection can lead to endometritis or pelvic infection.

Neisseria gonorrhea (gonorrhea) and Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia) infec- tion rates are highest among females aged 15 to 19 years. When adolescents are infected by chlamydia or gonorrhea, compared with adult women, they are at an increased risk of contracting an upper genital tract infection.

Women should abstain from sexual activities until they and their partner(s) have been treated appropriately and remain symptom free.