Chlamydia symptoms in women

Chlamydia is caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis and can affect both men and women. Chlamydia is transmitted when infected semen or vaginal fluid comes into contact with the vagina, anus, throat, or eye and can be spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

You may not always experience symptoms if you have chlamydia. Around 70% of women and 50% of men infected with chlamydia do not show any symptoms. This is why it’s important to take an STI test after you’ve had unprotected sex with a new partner.

If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to long-term complications including damage to the cervix, urethra, and fallopian tubes. This can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), increased risk of ectopic pregnancies, and fertility issues.

If these symptoms appear after having unprotected sex, there’s a chance you may have an STI and you should take a sexual health test. You can arrange an appointment through your GP or local sexual health clinic, or you can order an at-home chlamydia test from ZAVA without an appointment.

Chlamydia-related discharge in women

Changes in vaginal discharge can indicate chlamydia in women. However, it can also indicate a yeast infection, a different STI, or hormonal changes during your menstrual cycle.

It’s typical to have clear or white vaginal discharge. Your vagina needs to keep itself lubricated, protecting you against bad bacteria. Your vaginal discharge will get more slippery and have an egg white-like consistency when you're ovulating.

Chlamydia can cause spotting between your periods, leading to brown, red, or pinkish vaginal discharge. A yellow, foul-smelling vaginal discharge can also signal a chlamydia infection.

Certain infections, like bacterial vaginosis (BV), can change the environment of your vagina and make you more prone to catching STIs like chlamydia. Thick, white vaginal discharge can be a sign of thrush. Thrush is a yeast infection that is treatable with antifungal medication but is not a symptom of chlamydia itself.

➤ For more information on vaginal discharge, check out our guide: what your vaginal discharge means.

Burning sensation when urinating

One of the common symptoms of chlamydia in women is a burning sensation during urination. This might feel painful or uncomfortable.

The infection in your urine can lead to inflammation in your urinary tract. If left untreated, this infection can spread to your kidneys. If you have a kidney infection, you’ll need to visit a hospital for antibiotic treatment.

A burning sensation during urination is also a symptom of a urinary tract infection (UTI). If you test negative for chlamydia or other STIs and still have this symptom, speak to your doctor. They may recommend you take antibiotics for a UTI.

Painful sexual intercourse

Chlamydia in women can cause pain during sex, as the infection can lead to irritation or inflammation in your vagina. Sexual intercourse can increase this inflammation and make the experience painful, even if you are using lubricant. You may also have some bleeding during or after sex if you have chlamydia.

Chlamydia can also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which causes inflammation deep in the pelvis. This can also lead to pain during sex, as the muscles in the pelvis are engaged during sexual activity.

If you test positive for chlamydia, it’s important to get treatment and wait for the infection to leave your body before you have sex again. This will prevent pain and further spread of the infection between partners.

Pain in the lower abdomen

Chlamydia can cause pain in the lower abdomen. This pain may vary in intensity, and you may feel a range of pain from a dull ache to a sharp cramp. The muscles and nerves in your pelvis are connected to your back, so you may also feel pain in your lower back.

This pain is caused by inflammation in your soft tissue caused by the infection. It can be managed with over-the-counter painkillers whilst you wait for the antibiotics to clear the infection.

Bleeding between periods

One of the signs of chlamydia in women is bleeding or spotting between periods (intermenstrual bleeding) caused by inflammation in the cervix. If left untreated, chlamydia can have long-term impacts on your menstrual cycle and has the potential to cause fertility problems.

Inflammation of the cervix (cervicitis)

Chlamydia can cause inflammation of the cervix, also known as cervicitis. Your cervix is a cylindrical tube that connects your uterus to your vagina. As the vagina and cervix are connected, infections that originate in the vagina can easily spread to the cervix.

When the tissue of your cervix is inflamed, it can cause pain, discharge, and bleeding between periods or after sex. If you have untreated cervicitis, it can lead to complications such as PID, damage to the fallopian tubes, and increased risk of ectopic pregnancies. It can also increase your likelihood of contracting further STIs, as an irritated cervix may allow bacteria and viruses into your bloodstream more easily.

Treatment for chlamydia works by killing the bacteria that cause the infection. Once the bacteria is removed, the inflammation will disappear and your cervix will heal itself over time.

Rash on the inner thigh

Although symptoms of chlamydia in women usually manifest through changes in vaginal discharge, bleeding between periods, and pain during urination or intercourse, there is a specific type of chlamydia called lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), which can cause symptoms like blisters or painful swelling in the groin area.

This can spread to the inner thigh and be mistaken for a rash. If you believe you have a rash on your inner thigh due to chlamydia, it’s important to contact a healthcare professional.

Irritation of the throat

Chlamydia symptoms in women can manifest in the mouth or throat following oral sex with an infected person. If bacteria carrying the infection come into contact with the sensitive tissue in the mouth and throat, it can lead to irritation, pain, or swelling.

Testing for chlamydia in women is done either by:

• a urine sample*
• vaginal swab test

* Urine sample tests are not as accurate for women as they are for men, so you’ll most likely need to take a swab test if you have a vagina.

Our chlamydia test kit comes with all the materials you need to take a vaginal swab for testing. You can complete your sample from the comfort of your own home and send it to our lab in a prepaid envelope. You'll get the results within 2 to 3 working days after the lab has received your sample.

Be sure to check your local post office collection dates, we recommend for the most accurate results that you send your sample on the day that it was taken.

At ZAVA, we value confidentiality: your results will be sent to you via your private patient account. For more information, read our Privacy Policy.

If you test positive for a chlamydia infection, it’s important to tell your sexual partners in order to prevent further spread. They should get tested and treated if they also test positive. We can also send a confidential text on your behalf, as can a local sexual health clinic.

If chlamydia is left untreated it can lead to serious complications. As the infection spreads, it can affect your urinary tract, pelvic tissue, and reproductive system. As a woman, untreated chlamydia can lead to fertility issues and difficulty conceiving.

Fertility issues

Untreated chlamydia can lead to fertility issues as the bacteria can spread to the reproductive system and cause an infection in the fallopian tubes, which connect the ovaries to the womb.

This infection can be a ‘silent’, or asymptomatic, infection, which means you will not feel or display any symptoms. A silent infection is usually discovered during fertility testing if you’re having difficulty conceiving. Untreated chlamydia can also increase your risk of an ectopic pregnancy (where the foetus grows outside of the womb).

Gonorrhoea can also cause fertility issues. Gonorrhoea is another STI caused by infectious bacteria and often occurs alongside chlamydia. Even if you have both STIs, you may not have any symptoms. You can request a chlamydia and gonorrhoea test kit from ZAVA.

Pelvic inflammatory disease

PID occurs when an infection spreads to the pelvis, causing damage to the tissue and happens in up to 16% of women. Both untreated chlamydia and gonorrhoea can cause PID.

Symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease can include:

• pelvic pain or pain in the lower abdomen
• abnormal vaginal discharge (usually yellow or green with an unusual odour)
• pain during urination
• pain during sex
• heavy or painful periods
• bleeding in between periods or after sex

The pain you feel during PID will often be felt deep in the pelvis or in the lower abdomen. Not everyone experiences symptoms of the disease, and PID is often only diagnosed during the investigation of fertility issues.

If diagnosed early, PID can be treated, but it’s not possible to reverse existing damage that has already been caused by an infection. PID is often treated with antibiotics. Rarely, surgery may be needed.

Identifying the signs and symptoms of chlamydia in women can feel overwhelming but being armed with the right information can make a world of difference when it comes to making choices about your health. If you think you may be infected with chlamydia, order a home test kit from ZAVA to be delivered discreetly to your door, or visit a local sexual health clinic as soon as possible.

If you test positive, you can also request antibiotic treatment for chlamydia from us, without going to a GP or clinic. If you have any questions, you can privately message our doctors through your account, free of charge. All kits and prescribed medications are sent out in discreet, unmarked packaging.