Around one in four to five women who are infected with chlamydia become infertile. If you become infected during pregnancy, this can cause a premature birth. Max Planck researchers in Berlin have now discovered that chlamydia can even promote the development of cancer. Everything you need to know.

• Chlamydia are bacteria that cause sexually transmitted diseases. The pathogens are mainly transmitted during unprotected sex and cause abdominal infections in women. In Germany, it is estimated that there are 300,000 new cases of chlamydia every year.
• The fatal thing about an infection is that you don't necessarily notice it. In around 70 percent of affected women and 50 percent of men, the disease remains asymptomatic. The first signs of a chlamydia infection appear at the earliest one to three weeks after infection. However, months can also pass without you feeling anything. Chlamydia symptoms can include pain when urinating, itching, burning and discharge. Intermittent bleeding and pain during sex are also signs of chlamydia.
• Chlamydia is treated with an antibiotic. The infection is usually cured after ten to 14 days. Important: If chlamydia has been diagnosed, the partner should also be tested and, if necessary, treated at the same time, as chlamydia transmission is very likely.
• If chlamydia remains undetected and untreated, it can have serious consequences. The bacteria can reach the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries and make you infertile.
• The statutory health insurance companies pay for a chlamydia test for women up to the age of 25 and for pregnant women as part of maternity care. Non-pregnant, symptom-free women over 25 can be tested at their own expense. Costs: 20 to 50 euros.