How Do You Know You Have Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis (TRIK-uh-muh-NEYE-uh-suhss) or "trich" is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused past a parasite. The parasite is spread most ofttimes through vaginal, oral, or anal sex. It is i of the most common STIs in the Usa and affects more women than men. Information technology is treated hands with antibiotics, just many women do not have symptoms. If left untreated, trichomoniasis tin can raise your adventure of getting HIV.

What is trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis is an STI caused by a parasite. Information technology is i of the most mutual STIs in the Us.¹

Who gets trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis is more common in women than men. It affects more than 2 million women ages fourteen to 49 in the United States.²

Trichomoniasis affects more African-American women than white and Hispanic women. The gamble for African-American women goes up with age and lifetime number of sex partners.²

How exercise you get trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis is spread through:

Vaginal, oral, or anal sexual activity. Trichomoniasis can be spread even if there are no symptoms. This means you can get trichomoniasis from someone who has no signs or symptoms.
Genital touching. A man does non demand to ejaculate (come up) for trichomoniasis to spread. Trichomoniasis tin also be passed between women who take sex activity with women.

What are the symptoms of trichomoniasis?

Most infected women take no symptoms. If you do go symptoms, they might appear five to 28 days after exposure and can include:

Irritation and itching in the genital area
Thin or frothy discharge with an unusual foul aroma that tin be clear, white, yellowish, or dark-green
Discomfort during sexual activity and when urinating
Lower intestinal pain (this is rare)

If you think you may have trichomoniasis, you and your sex partner(southward) need to encounter a doctor or nurse equally soon equally possible.

How is trichomoniasis diagnosed?

To find out whether you accept trichomoniasis, your medico or nurse may:

Exercise a pelvic test
Use a cotton swab to take a fluid sample from your vagina to look for the parasite nether a microscope
Practice a lab exam, such equally a DNA test or a fluid culture. A civilization tests uses urine or a swab from your vagina. The parasite and so grows in a lab. It takes up to a calendar week for the parasite to grow enough to be seen.

A Pap exam isnot used to detect trichomoniasis.

If y'all have trichomoniasis, you need to be tested for other STIs too.

How is trichomoniasis treated?

Trichomoniasis is easily cured with one of ii antibiotics:

Metronidazole (me-truh-NYD-uh-zohl)
Tinidazole (teye-NID-uh-zohl)

These antibiotics are unremarkably a pill you eat in a single dose.

If you lot are treated for trichomoniasis, your sex partner(southward) needs to be treated too. Do not have sexual practice until you lot and your sex partner(southward) cease taking all of the antibiotics and take no symptoms.

What can happen if trichomoniasis is not treated?

About people with trichomoniasis have no symptoms and never know they have information technology. Even without symptoms, it can exist passed to others.

If you have trichomoniasis, y'all are at higher risk of getting HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) if you are exposed to HIV. If you are HIV-positive, having trichomoniasis also raises your gamble of passing HIV to your sex partner(s). The Centers for Illness Control and Prevention recommends that women with HIV go screened for trichomoniasis at least in one case a yr.^three

What should I do if I have trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis is easy to treat. But y'all need to be tested and treated as before long as possible.

If you take trichomoniasis:

See a dr. or nurse as soon equally possible. Antibiotics volition treat trichomoniasis.
Take all of your medicine. Even if symptoms go away, you need to finish all of the antibiotics.
Tell your sex partner(south) so they tin can be tested and treated.
Avert sexual contact until you and your partner(s) have been treated and cured. Even after yous finish your antibiotics, you can get trichomoniasis again if you have sexual activity with someone who has trichomoniasis.
Come across your doctor or nurse again if you have symptoms that don't become away within a few days after finishing the antibiotics.

How does trichomoniasis affect pregnancy?

Meaning women with trichomoniasis are at higher risk of premature birth (babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or a low-birth-weight baby (less than 5 ane/2 pounds). Premature nascency and a low nativity weight heighten the take a chance of health and developmental problems at birth and later in life.

The antibiotic metronidazole can be used to treat trichomoniasis during any stage of pregnancy. Talk to your medico most the benefits and risks of taking any medicine during pregnancy.

Tin I take medicine for trichomoniasis if I am breastfeeding?

You lot can have the antibiotic metronidazole if y'all are breastfeeding. Your doctor may suggest waiting 12 to 24 hours afterwards taking metronidazole before breastfeeding. Practise not accept tinidazole if you are breastfeeding.

How tin can I prevent trichomoniasis?

The all-time way to forestall trichomoniasis or whatever STI is to not have vaginal, oral, or anal sex activity.

If you practise have sexual practice, lower your risk of getting an STI with the following steps:

Utilise condoms. Condoms are the all-time way to prevent STIs when you take sex. Because a man does not need to ejaculate (come up) to requite or get trichomoniasis, make sure to put the condom on before the penis touches the vagina, mouth, or anus. Other methods of nascence control, like birth control pills, shots, implants, or diaphragms, will not protect you from STIs.
Get tested. Be sure you and your partner are tested for STIs. Talk to each other well-nigh the exam results before you have sexual practice.
Be monogamous. Having sex with only one partner tin can lower your risk for STIs. After being tested for STIs, be faithful to each other. That means that you have sex just with each other and no ane else.
Limit your number of sex partners. Your take a chance of getting STIs goes up with the number of partners you have.
Do not douche. Douching removes some of the normal bacteria in the vagina that protects you from infection. This may increase your risk of getting STIs.
Practice not abuse alcohol or drugs. Drinking too much booze or using drugs increases risky behavior and may put you at take a chance of sexual assail and possible exposure to STIs.

The steps work all-time when used together. No unmarried stride can protect you from every single type of STI.

Tin can women who have sex with women get trichomoniasis?

Yes. Information technology is possible to become trichomoniasis, or any other STI, if you are a woman who has sex only with women.

Talk to your partner about her sexual history earlier having sexual activity, and ask your doctor near getting tested if you have signs or symptoms of trichomoniasis.

Did we answer your question about trichomoniasis?

The Office on Women'due south Health is grateful for the medical review by:

Centers for Illness Control and Prevention (CDC) staff

All material independent on these pages are free of copyright restrictions and may be copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Function on Women'south Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human being Services. Citation of the source is appreciated.

Folio last updated: April 1, 2019

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Source: https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/trichomoniasis