Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and it’s actually super common. It is one of the most commonly transmitted STIs. Chlamydia is a little tricky, so it’s really important that teens speak to their health care providers (HCP) about routine testing. It’s hard because most teens won’t show any symptoms, but chlamydia can cause serious health problems if it’s left untreated.
It’s SUPER important that when someone tests positive for that they tell all their recent (last 3-6 months) sexual partner(s) and encourage them to get tested as soon as possible! Once the test comes back, the HCP will prescribe antibiotics that will help kill the bad bacteria. The HCP will decide from two different antibiotic medicines, which will work best, based on the situation. The first is Azithromycin, which is a single dose medication that teens can take right there in the office. The second is Doxycycline, which is a prescription that will be need to be filled at a pharmacy. Doxycycline should be take 2 times per day for 7 days. Both medicines are completely safe to take either on the birth control pill or while a teen has their period. Teens should take ALL of their medication as prescribed, even if their symptoms have improved or they never even had symptoms in the first place.