‘Faithfulness’ and sexually transmitted diseases

Some time ago, I did an article on chlamydia that generated a few questions and comments. One lady asked: “Doc, can women over 40 get chlamydia?” The answer is an emphatic “yes”. All women of all ages can get chlamydia, but for the issue of infertility, various health organizations, including the World Health Organization, advise that only sexually active women 25 and under are tested routinely as this is the age group in which chlamydia causes most infertility problems, as this is the age group that is most sexually active and promiscuous. Besides, most chlamydial infections are asymptomatic, hence the propensity for infertility is high in this sexually active group.{{more}}

Another reader made a comment and then questioned whether she can still get chlamydia if she and her partner are faithful and use condoms every time they made love. The answer is no. You should not get chlamydia. But my question to her was “Why would you want to use condoms with someone whom you know well and trust unless you did not trust the person or did not know them well?” She said that she was worried about diseases that he might have brought into the relationship from a previous relationship, even though she said that she had tested him before. So, I suspect this reader will be using condoms until she is ready to have children, or until she gets married, at which time, I suspect, she thinks her faithful boyfriend will become a faithful “husband.”

For comments or question contact:

Dr Rohan Deshong

Tel: (784) 456-2785

email: deshong@vincysurf.com