Chlamydia & Gonorrhea Are On The Rise

Here's some unsettling news: Chlamydia and gonorrhea, both which can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women, are on the rise and both are more prevalent in women than men. According to the the 2011 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Surveillance report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday, certain groups, including young people and gay and bisexual men are at the greatest risk.

While the rate of syphilis remained unchanged, Chlamydia increased by 8% and gonorrhea rose by 4%.

Of the 19 million new STD infections reported in the country annually, 1.4 million were cases of Chlamydia in 2011. The infection rate was two and a half times higher among women than men. Authors of the study believe this could be because of increased screening, more sensitive tests, and better reporting of the infection. 

The CDC believes the rise in gonorrhea cases could be due to increased antibiotic resistance. 

While both young men and women are heavily affected by STDs, and these three are treatable, women still face the most serious long-term health consequences. It's estimated that when left undiagnosed, STDs cause 24,000 women to become infertile each year.

Because these diseases — and many others — can often occur without symptoms, it's extremely important to get tested.

What do you think about these findings? How often do you get tested?