Many STIs are successfully treated with antibiotics. Others can be managed with medication.
What if I don’t get treated?
If you have an untreated STI it can cause a range of mild to severe health complications and also create other health conditions.
For example, some STIs can damage men and women’s reproductive systems. Men could get painful swollen testes (testicles) and women could get pelvic inflammatory disease. This means they could have problems having children in the future or be left infertile (unable to have children).
If you don’t get treated the infection will keep damaging your body, and you can pass it to your sex partners.
Do I need to tell anyone?
If you have been treated for an STI, it is important to let your sex partner(s) know so they can get tested and treated too. If your sex partners are not treated, you could end up with the STI again.
If you want your doctor or clinic can tell your partner or former partners for you, without telling them your name. They can help you inform everyone that might need to know. This is known as contact tracing.
What if I am pregnant?
If you are pregnant it is very important to protect yourself and your unborn baby from STIs. Having an STI in pregnancy could make your unborn baby get very sick and even die.
You can prevent this from happening by having safe sex and by having an STI check, and getting treatment if needed, so your baby is born healthy.