What is it?
Gonorrhoea can be spread by vaginal, oral, or anal contact and is highly contagious. If you get the disease, there is an increased risk of getting other STDs, including HIV. Gonorrhoea is one of the fastest growing STDs in the UK and like Chlamydia, may present no symptoms. It can be a major cause of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and infertility in women. In men, it can cause inflammation of the testicles and prostate.
Why you should get tested
Gonorrhoea is one of the most important preventable causes of infertility. Moreover, most women infected with Gonorrhea have no symptoms. If left untreated, Gonorrhea can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). PID can lead to infertility and potentially fatal tubal (ectopic) pregnancy.
Women who have Gonorrhea during pregnancy tend to have higher rates of miscarriage, infection of the amniotic sac and fluid, preterm birth, and Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM). Newborns develop Gonorrhoea most commonly in the eyes and may eventually go blind if left untreated. Men with a history of Gonorrhoea are more likely to develop prostate cancer.
How can I get it?
Any sexual activity with someone who has Gonorrhoea may lead to infection. Gonorrhoea can live in the genital tract of both men and women as well as the testes, penis and semen of males and the vagina of females. It can also live in the throat and the rectum, so sex involving any of these areas may spread Gonorrhoea.
How do I know if I have it? What are the symptoms of Gonorrhoea?
Gonorrhea symptoms are typically mild or non-existent. When there are symptoms of Gonorrhoea, they will usually start between 5 and 30 days after contact and differ slightly between men and women. Gonorrhoea symptoms may include:
- Burning sensation when urinating for both men and women
- for women, yellowish discharge from the vagina, vaginal bleeding and/or painful bowel movements
- For men, painful or swollen testicles and/or a sore throat.
Gonorrhoea testing ~ testing for Gonorrhoea
Testing for Gonorrhoea at home with Better2know is easy, fast and painless. For men and women, you simply urinate in the container we post you and you send it back in the prepaid envelope provided. Please be sure that you wait 3 hours before urinating.
Treating Gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea is curable and can be easily treated with a course of antibiotics.
