What are the long-term health risks of gonorrhea?

Estimates vary, but 10 to 30% of untreated gonorrhea infections in women will go on to cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Gonorrhea and chlamydia are the primary causes of all PID. PID causes scarring and blockage of fallopian tubes, causing an estimated 100,000 women annually to become infertile.

PID scarring can also cause ectopic or tubal pregnancies (pregnancy occurring outside the uterus), which is potentially life threatening. PID can lead to chronic pelvic pain.

Find out more about this book: Seductive Delusions: How Everyday People Catch STDs

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