Gonorrhoea and pregnancy

What is gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea, also known as ‘the clap’, is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonorrhoea is the most common bacterial STI in Australia.

Gonorrhoea usually affects the urethra (urine tube) and cervix (opening to the uterus), but it can also affect the:

• anus
• throat
• eyes

Gonorrhoea spreads easily through sexual contact and can be passed on even if the person has no symptoms. Because of this, it’s important to have regular STI tests if you are sexually active.

Gonorrhoea is diagnosed using a urine sample or a swab from the affected area.

Diagnosing and treating gonorrhoea early can help prevent complications for you and your baby. It also helps lower the chance of you passing on the infection to someone else.

How can gonorrhoea affect my pregnancy?

If left untreated, gonorrhoea may cause inflammation of your reproductive system. This can lead to complications during pregnancy, such as:

• premature birth
• ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that grows outside your uterus)
• low birth weight
• stillbirth

Learn more about STIs and pregnancy.

Can gonorrhoea harm my baby?

Untreated gonorrhoea can be passed on to your baby during birth. This may cause complications for your baby, such as:

• eye infection
• meningitis
• sepsis

Gonorrhoea is most likely to affect your baby if the infection is in your urethra or cervix at the time of birth. Infection in other areas can also be passed on to your baby, but this is rare.

What are the symptoms of gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea often causes no symptoms. If you do have symptoms of gonorrhoea, they will depend on which part of your body is affected.

Gonorrhoea in your urethra or cervix may cause symptoms such as:

• unusual discharge
• pain or burning when passing urine (weeing)
• bleeding between periods
• bleeding after sex
• persistent pelvic pain

A male who has gonorrhoea may notice:

• discharge from the penis
• pain or burning when passing urine
• swollen or painful testicles

Gonorrhoea can also cause other symptoms such as:

• pruritus ani (itchy anus)
• sore throat
• discharge from your eyes

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What causes gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea is caused by a type of bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. These bacteria are usually spread through sexual contact, such as:

• vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected person
• contact with the bodily fluids (saliva or blood) of an infected person

Anyone who is sexually active can get gonorrhoea. It’s more common in certain groups of people, such as:

• younger people
• men who have sex with men
• sex workers
• people living in high-prevalence areas

Gonorrhoea can be spread even if a person has no symptoms.

When should I see my doctor?

See your doctor immediately if you have any symptoms of gonorrhoea.

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

How is gonorrhoea diagnosed?

To diagnose gonorrhoea, your doctor will recommend a urine test or a swab from the affected area. A swab may be taken from your:

• vagina
• cervix
• anus
• throat

These tests help your doctor know which strain (type) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae you have, and what treatment will work best for you.

Depending on the type of infection, you may need a follow-up test 1 to 2 weeks later. This is to make sure the treatment has worked.

How is gonorrhoea treated?

Gonorrhoea is treated with antibiotics — these are usually given as an injection or tablets. When taking antibiotics for gonorrhoea, it’s important to avoid sexual contact:

• for at least 7 days after you start treatment
• until your symptoms have completely resolved

Some strains of gonorrhoea are resistant to antibiotics. This means that antibiotics don’t work well against these strains of gonorrhoea.

To help prevent antibiotic resistance and to make sure your treatment works, you should:

• take the antibiotics exactly as your doctor tells you
• finish the full course of antibiotics, even if your symptoms have improved
• go back to your doctor if you think your treatment is not working

What are the complications of gonorrhoea?

If left untreated, gonorrhoea can affect your reproductive system. It may cause:

• pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• chronic pelvic pain

For males, untreated gonorrhoea can cause:

• swollen testicles
• epididymitis (inflammation behind the testicle)
• infertility

In rare cases, the infection can spread to your bloodstream and lead to:

• septic arthritis (joint infection)
• rash
• endocarditis (infection of the lining of your heart)

Gonorrhoea also increases your chance of getting other STIs such as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and chlamydia.

Can gonorrhoea be prevented?

You can help lower your chance of getting gonorrhoea by:

• practising safe sex — you can use barrier protection, such as condoms and dental dams
• avoiding sexual contact with anyone who may have gonorrhoea

You can also help prevent the spread of gonorrhoea by having regular STI checks.

If you are diagnosed with gonorrhoea, you should:

• avoid sexual contact during treatment and for 7 days after you start treatment
• tell any recent sexual partners to get tested and treated

Gonorrhoea is a notifiable disease in Australia. This means if you are diagnosed with gonorrhoea, your doctor may report it to your local public health authorities. This helps public health authorities to:

• identify possible sources of the infection — this is called contact tracing
• prevent further cases

Can gonorrhoea affect future pregnancies?

Untreated gonorrhoea may cause pelvic inflammatory disease. Severe pelvic inflammatory disease can damage your reproductive organs, which can:

• make it more difficult to fall pregnant in the future
• increase the chance of an ectopic pregnancy in the future
• cause infertility

Early diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea can help prevent these complications.

Resources and support

Learn more about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during pregnancy on the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists page.

The Australian STI Management Guidelines provide information about:

• the symptoms and diagnosis of gonorrhoea
• contact tracing
• how to discuss your sexual history
• STI testing

Languages other than English

If English is not your preferred language, support is available in many other languages.

You can find translated health information from the Victorian Department of Health through Health Translations Victoria, including resources about gonorrhoea and STIs.

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

Better to Know has information about STIs including gonorrhoea.