STDs that cause itching: Other symptoms, treatments, and more
Six STIs That Could Impact Fertility
There has been a rise in cases of STIs, which left untreated could cause infertility. (Getty Images) (Getty)
Experts are warning people to be aware of the potential impact on fertility following a recent rise in STIs.
In 2022, there were 392,453 diagnoses of new STIs among residents of England, a significant increase of 28.8% compared to 2021 figures.
Further figures, from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) found that Chlamydia diagnoses increased by 24.3%, syphilis diagnoses increased by 15.2%, and gonorrhoea diagnoses increased by 50.3%.
STIs are often overlooked when discussing fertility, despite many leading to fertility issues, so to mark National Fertility Awareness Week experts are urging people to be aware of the infections which can potentially impact fertility and the signs to look out for, so they can be diagnosed and treated before they become more serious.
"With many STIs on the rise in the UK, it is important for people to know that STIs can affect fertility and the symptoms to watch out for, to allow people to get tested and treated before any long-term reproductive damage occurs," says Dr Vanessa Apea, NHS sexual health consultant and medical director at Preventx.
Which STIs affect fertility?1. Chlamydia
If left untreated chlamydia can spread to the womb, ovaries or fallopian tubes and cause a condition known as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can cause difficulty in getting pregnant, increased risk of ectopic pregnancy, and infertility.
Chlamydia symptoms include painful urination, unusual vaginal discharge, and bleeding between periods and after sex.
2. Gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea can also result in PID, if left untreated. This can lead to serious issues including long-term pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility.
Symptoms are similar to those seen with chlamydia, however, five in 10 women infected with gonorrhoea will not experience obvious symptoms.
3. Syphilis
Syphilis can also affect fertility if it isn't diagnosed and treated quickly. If you're pregnant and have syphilis, the NHS says you can pass it on to your baby before they're born. This is known as congenital syphilis.
Having syphilis during pregnancy can also increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth.
Syphilis symptoms include small sores found on the vagina and anus, white patches in the mouth, and swollen glands.
Experts are urging people to be aware of the symptoms of certain STIs. (Getty Images) (Getty)
4. Herpes simplex (HSV)
Women who have had genital herpes before pregnancy usually have no issues with their baby's health. However, having genital herpes during pregnancy can put babies at risk of developing a serious illness called neonatal herpes.
Common symptoms can include pain inside the vagina, unusual vaginal discharge, and fever.
5. Human papillomavirus (HPV)
Unlike previous STIs discussed, HPV is a common group of viruses that do not cause problems in most people but can lead to cancer.
HPV is often asymptomatic, however, there can be painless growths or lumps around the vagina and anus.
Cancers linked to HPV include cervical cancer, vulval cancer, and vaginal cancer. In cervical cancer, abnormal growth in cells can damage the ovaries, causing infertility. If diagnosed at an advanced stage, treatment is usually more intensive and can also lead to infertility.
6. Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is caused by the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis (TV). Symptoms include soreness, swelling and itching around the vagina, and pain during urination or sex.
"Women, in particular, can remain with the TV infection for years, and their distressing symptoms are often misdiagnosed or dismissed," explains Dr Apea. "If left untreated, TV causes complications in pregnancy, such as premature birth or low birth weight."
Certain STIs can lead to fertility issues if left untreated. (Getty Images) (Getty Images)
7. Hepatitis C
While not technically an STI, Hepatitis C is a virus that can be transmitted through rough sex and sharing injecting equipment. Hepatitis C damages the liver over time and can eventually lead to cirrhosis, which may cause infertility.
If infected with hepatitis C during pregnancy, there is a 4-6% risk of the baby contracting the virus.
Although it is possible for children to clear the infection naturally, some will develop chronic infection and may eventually present liver damage.
Hepatitis C can remain symptomless for decades, with around 70,000 people across England unaware they have the virus. If you think you might be at risk, you can order a free home testing kit via the NHS.
How do I find out if I have an STI?To limit the risks STIs pose to our fertility, it is important to look after your sexual health.
"If you are sexually active, using protection and getting tested for STIs regularly – even if you're not presenting symptoms – is important," says Dr Apea. "This can allow STIs to be identified and treated more quickly, reducing the likelihood of the infection developing into something more serious."
Fortunately, it is easier than ever to get tested for an STI. You can visit your nearest sexual health clinic or order an at-home testing kit via an online service linked to the NHS.
To find out if a free test kit is available in your area, visit www.Sh.Uk
Fertility read more: Watch: WHO calls for improved global access to fertility careView comments
Non-genital STIs: All The Areas Of Your Body They Can Affect And How To Prevent Them
STIs can affect many different body parts. (Getty Images)
We typically think of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) as something that affects the genitals, whether it's chlamydia or herpes.
But how much do you know about how they can affect other body parts too, like the mouth, eyes, and skin (and other more unexpected areas)?
Here, Dr Neel Patel explains what non-genital STIs are and why we need to be more aware of them, the parts of the body they can affect, and what to do if you think you may have contracted one.
What are non-genital STIs?"As well as STIs affecting the genitals, it's possible for STIs to enter through either the skin or mucous membranes and infect other parts of the body. These are known as non-genital STIs," explains Dr Patel, of Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor.
"Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, herpes, HPV, HIV, scabies and trichomoniasis can all be contracted through areas other than the genitals."
Regular testing for STIs is key. (Getty Images) (Rodolfo Parulan Jr. Via Getty Images)
What parts of the body can be affected by non-genital STIs?Dr Patel say non-genital STIs may affect areas including your:
mouth
lips
throat
tongue
eyes
groin
thighs
buttocks
"For example, if semen were to accidentally get into the eyes, you could contract chlamydia in the eye, resulting in symptoms similar to conjunctivitis," Dr Patel explains.
"Similarly, syphilis can be spread via skin-to-skin contact with somebody who has syphilis, and scabies can be caught through sharing towels, bedding or clothing."
He also points out you can catch both a genital and non-genital STI at the same time, affecting more than one area of the body. "For example, if you were to have oral and vaginal sex with someone who has chlamydia, the STI could infect both your throat and genitals."
How are non-genital STIs transmitted?Expanding on the above, Dr Patel adds: "These types of STIs are transmitted through contact with another individual's infected genitals, anus, semen or vaginal or cervical fluids. The infection may even be passed on through contaminated body parts or items, such as a sex toy."
Non-genital STIs can be transmitted in multiple ways. (Getty Images) (Oleg Elkov via Getty Images)
Symptoms of non-genital STIs"Both genital and non-genital STIs can often be symptomless. For this reason, it's really important to get tested. The only way to know you have an STI is by taking an STI test," says the expert. Generally, you can get a free STI test at a sexual health or GUM clinic, or through a paid online service.
To find out more about STI symptoms generally, see the NHS website.
Preventing non-genital STIsPrimarily, non-genital STIs can be avoided by you and your partner having regular STI tests and practising safe sex.
"You should also always avoid having sex with anyone who has any potential symptoms of an STI. This may include genital sores, a rash or unusual discharge," says Dr Patel.
"For oral sex, a condom or dental dam (a rectangular piece of latex that covers the genitals or anus) can be used to stop STIs being transmitted through the mouth.
"Thoroughly washing your hands after sex can also help to prevent the spread of non-genital STIs.
"STIs like Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and HPV can also be prevented through vaccines. And the medication, PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) can reduce the risk of contracting HIV."
Sex hygiene can help prevent the spread of non-genital STIS among other crucial measures. (Getty Images) (Jamie Grill via Getty Images)
Treating non-genital STIs"STI treatments work to get rid of the STI whether you have a genital or non-genital STI. Based on your consultation, the clinician will take into account the types of sex you have had and prescribe the right treatment for you," says Dr Patel.
Testing non-genital STIs"Testing for non-genital STIs is typically carried out by sampling the area that may have been infected, as well as traditional urine and blood tests. For example, if you are experiencing symptoms that affect your eyes, a healthcare professional may swab your eyes and send this sample for testing," adds Dr Patel.
If you are worried about having a non-genital STI, speak to your healthcare provider.
Read more: Six STIs that could impact fertility (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
Watch: Free condoms: Why do some EU members provide them and others do not?
Daye Now Offers Tampon-based STI Screening — Starting In The UK
U.K. Femcare-turned-gynaecological-health startup, Daye, has expanded its tampon-based home screening service to add STI testing. The startup is billing this "non-invasive screening" service for sexually transmitted infections as a "world first".
The "STI Diagnostic Tampon" service uses Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing tech to detect the presence of pathogens. Daye is launching with the ability to test for five STIs — namely: Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomonas, mycoplasma and ureaplasma — which were selected because they are the most common STIs. But more tests are planned.
The move comes a year after the startup took the wraps off an ambitious push into gynaecological health — with the launch of a vaginal microbiome screening service. Daye tells TechCrunch it's had "thousands" of customers for that service — which is a little more complicated to engage with as samples need to be sent back along with an ice pack (and hopefully minimal postal delays) in order that the lab can detect live pathogens.
The STI test is simpler as the PCR test is looking for genetic material — dead or alive; this type of test doesn't distinguish — so the user just needs to pop their sample in the extraction solution provided before they post it off for analysis.
Daye sells tampons for regular, menstrual use too, of course. But it's always been interested in doing more with the staple female hygiene product than just catching flow. Its signature product is a CBD-infused tampon for combating period cramps. Though it also sells a "nude" version (i.E. No CBD) — and that core offering is the basis for a growing range of vaginal- and sexual-health-screening services which repurpose the basic tampon as a novel sample collecting device.
The clever twist here is it makes what could be an intrusive test into something its customers are likely to be intimately familiar with — and literally as easy as inserting and removing a tampon.
Daye didn't invent the idea of using tampons to test for STIs, as founder Valentina Milanova explained when we dug into its wider mission last year. U.K. University researchers pioneered menstrual tampon screening back in the 1990s. But Milanova is on a mission to expand the technique's use and utility — seeing it as a convenient way to help women learn a heck of a lot more about their own bodies from the comfort of their own bathrooms.
The startup also claims tampons make a better testing device than the swabs or other protocols a patient might be administered at a sexual health clinic or doctor's office since its test tampons collect more vaginal fluid and cover a larger surface area — so it contends this is both a more accurate way to STI test than a swab and more comfortable than a speculum.
PCR testing, meanwhile, has gotten very familiar after the COVID-19 pandemic. Daye's STI test uses the same principle as this gold standard detection test for coronavirus — but in this case it's looking for trace (or more) amounts of genetic material from pathogens that cause STIs.
"The specificity of PCRs ensures that false-positive results are reduced, providing a more reliable diagnosis," it suggests, also noting the test can simultaneously detect multiple pathogens in a single sample. So full marks for convenience.
More convenience is coming, too, as it adds more tests, too: Daye says HPV is next on its list — an STI which has been linked to increased cervical cancer risk.
Another on its list to add "soon" is to offer GBS screening for pregnant patients. "GBS is a common bacteria often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract. While usually harmless in adults, it can cause severe infections in newborns if transmitted during delivery. Testing pregnant women for GBS allows for the timely administration of antibiotics during labour, significantly reducing the risk of neonatal infections," Daye tells us.
The startup also plans to offer herpes screening for everyone down the line.
The STI testing service is being launched in the U.K. First — at a cost of £99 a pop — with the US slated to get the service "soon". Daye is also aiming to expand screening services elsewhere in Europe, saying it's currently working on building out an aftercare offering to support patients across the EU.
How does the STI testing service work? The user receives a test kit in the post and, after self administering a vaginal swab by inserting and removing the test tampon and then preserving their sample as instructed, they post it sample back to Daye's partner lab for analysis — getting results digitally, via Daye's app, in a few days.
For a further £29 they can also get a "comprehensive" consultation about their results with a nurse. Users who don't purchase this optional extra, but do test positive for an STI, will receive a free five minute call to walk them through their results and advise on next steps, per Daye.
One question we had is related to how sexual health clinics may routinely test for HIV when a patient attends — i.E. Even if they're at the clinic for another sexual health worry. So if more people choose to adopt at-home testing for STIs, thanks to Daye's convenient alternative, they may be missing out on the chance to acquire important health info — since clinics or doctor's offices can often nudge an attending patient to take the opportunity to test more widely while they're there in person.
Asked how it's mitigating this risk, Daye told us: "We enable our patients to book in-clinic appointments for HIV screening, and in the future, we may also expand to at-home blood testing for HIV. We ensure that our patients are well-educated on the risks associated with HIV and are reminded of the need for regular testing. We'd like to play a meaningful role in destigmatising sexual health and provide medically-backed advice on the recommended cadence of screening."
The startup also gave us a breakdown of the main customers for its novel vaginal microbiome screening service a year+ on from that launch — saying there are three main groups:
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