Want more iVillage? Sign up for our
Newsletters
Gonorrhea - What Happens
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
Gonorrhea causes no long-term problems if it is treated early in the course of the infection before any complications develop. Left untreated, gonorrhea can lead to serious complications.
Complications in women
Women with untreated
gonorrhea may have the following complications of the
female reproductive system 
:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). The risk of infertility increases with each episode of PID.
- An abscess in or near the ovaries (tubo-ovarian abscess)
- Inflammation of the Bartholin glands
- An ectopic (tubal) pregnancy
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Infertility
- Fitz-Hugh–Curtis syndrome (rare)
Complications in pregnant women
Problems related to untreated gonorrhea in pregnant women include:
- The possibility of a miscarriage.
- Preterm labor. The woman may be given drugs to prevent premature birth, which could require a stay in the hospital.
- Premature rupture of the membranes (PROM), which happens before labor contractions start. The amniotic sac breaks open, causing amniotic fluid to gush out, or less commonly, to slowly leak.
- Premature delivery. A premature infant has an increased risk of health problems.
- Infection of the lining of the uterus (endometritis).
If a woman has gonorrhea when she gives birth, her newborn can be infected.
Women with untreated gonorrhea and infected newborns are more likely to develop long-term complications of gonorrhea.
Complications in newborns
Newborns of women with untreated gonorrhea may have any of the following complications:
- Pinkeye (conjunctivitis). Most newborns who have gonorrhea also get pinkeye.
- An infection in the bloodstream (sepsis)
- Inflammation of a joint (arthritis)
- Scalp infections at the site of a fetal monitoring device
- Infection of the fluid and tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord (meningitis)
Complications in men
Men with untreated gonorrhea may develop:
- Epididymitis, an inflammation and infection of the epididymis—the long, tightly coiled tube that lies behind each testicle and collects sperm.
- An inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis).
- A higher-than-normal risk of getting bladder cancer.1
Complications of untreated gonorrhea in other areas of the body
Disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) occurs when the gonorrhea infection spreads to sites other than the genitals, such as the joints, skin, heart, or blood. Complications of DGI include:
- Fever.
- Skin infection (cellulitis).
- An infection in the bloodstream (sepsis).
- Inflammation of a joint (arthritis). It most often affects the knees and hands.
- An infection and inflammation of the heart valves and the chambers of the heart (endocarditis).
- An infection of the fluid and tissues that surround the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).
Because many women do not have early symptoms of gonorrhea that cause them to seek treatment, they are more likely than men to have more serious complications from gonorrhea spreading to other parts of the body.
Having a gonorrhea infection once does not protect you from getting another infection in the future. A new exposure to gonorrhea will cause reinfection, even if you were previously treated and cured.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: April 15, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Peter Shalit, MD, PhD - Internal Medicine | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
Welcome to Care Circle, an exclusive tool to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. Here's how it works:
- Create profiles for yourself and your loved ones.
- Select the topics and conditions that interest each of you.
- Get customized news updates, original content, tools, and expert advice for each Care Circle member delivered directly to your personalized homepage.
The information you input is strictly private; you choose who has access to your Care Circle.
How do I add myself or someone else to my care circle?
Click on "Add someone." Fill out the short profile. Choose an avatar. Select the topics and conditions that interest this person from the pulldown menu. You can select as many as you want, but you must choose at least one. Click on "Add Someone" again. You should start getting updates immediately.
How do I save content to my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab of the person for whom you're saving content. Put your cursor over the piece of content that you want to save; a disk icon will appear in the righthand corner. Click on the disk and the piece of content will be moved to a save folder.
How do I add additional topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Add More to Follow," select additional topics and conditions.
How do I delete topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Follows," scroll over the topic or condition you want to delete. An "X" should appear on the righthand side. Click on the "X" and the topic or condition will be deleted from the list.
To manage your Care Circle, Please
Sign In.
from
- Facebook is now fueling organ donations
- Military women and suicide: Home safe but not sound
- Still in gear: Injuries don’t stop veterans on 100-day bike trek
- Ask Jenna: I've hit a weight loss plateau. What do I do?
- He poses in a tutu to laugh in face of wife's cancer
- After chemo hair loss, 'henna crowns' help heal
The iVillage Network