What is trichomoniasis?
Trichomoniasis is an STI caused by a parasite.
How can I get trichomoniasis?
You can get infected with trichomoniasis through unprotected vaginal, or anal sex when there is an exchange of body fluids. Anyone who is sexually active can get it and pass it on. You don’t need to have a lot of partners to get infected.
What does trichomoniasis look like?
If you have trichomoniasis, you may develop:
- A yellow or green often bad-smelling discharge from the vagina.
- Pain or burning when urinating.
- Pain or bleeding during sex.
- Pain in the lower part of your stomach.
- Redness or burning of the skin of your penis or vagina.
How do I test for trichomoniasis?
Healthcare providers at clinics don’t routinely test for trichomoniasis. Instead, if you have physical symptoms or signs of infection, they will give you antibiotics to treat it. If you choose to go to a private doctor or facility for testing, it can include either a urine sample or a swab from inside the vagina which is then sent away to the lab for testing.
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How is it treated?
Trichomoniasis is treated using antibiotics. If you learn that you have trichomoniasis, you should contact all the people you have had sex with recently to let them know. That’s because they might have trichomoniasis, too. They will need treatment even if they have no symptoms.
Get treated today!
- If you don’t get treatment for the trichomoniasis, your symptoms can get worse. Plus, you can keep spreading the infection to your sexual partners.
- You might also have a higher chance of getting HIV.
- If you fall pregnant and have an untreated trichomoniasis infection, it can cause the baby to be born early.
