Did you really see “gonorrhea” on that blood test requisition?
Gonorrhea? Did you really see that on your blood test requisition? Isn’t gonorrhea also “the clap“? Yes - and yes. And yes, that means it’s a sexually transmitted disease. If you’re shocked about being tested - don’t be. You’re not being singled out because it’s actually a routine blood test for pregnant women in North America.
According to statistics, more than 700,000 people in the United States are infected with gonorrhea each year. That number tends to shock a lot of people because many thought that the disease was pretty well non-existent now. Obviously, that’s not so. And - what makes it worse, is that women usually don’t have symptoms, so they don’t know they are infected. Some women do experience pain or burning on urination or find they are having more discharge or bloody discharge from the vagina.
So, why is it important to know if you have gonorrhea when you’re pregnant? Because the bacteria that causes the infection can grow in the cervix (the opening to the uterus, or womb) and the uterus, as well as other parts, such as the urethra (the tube that allows urine to leave the bladder), anus, mouth, throat and eyes.
Gonorrhea can cause many complications for women, including problems like pelvic inflammatory disease. But the main reason for being tested while you’re pregnant is to protect your baby from getting the infection. As the baby is born through the vagina, the bacteria can cause blindness or infections - some of which can be life threatening.
Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics and if you have received treatment, your baby is likely not to have any problems from the infection. However, it is very, very important that you finish ALL the antibiotics and not stop them before they are done. If you don’t take them all, not all the bacteria may be killed, leaving the infection in your body.
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Tags: pregnancy blog, gonorrhea, the clap, gonorrhea during pregnancy
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