Cervicitis is an infection in the cervix or the opening of the womb. Cervicitis
is very common and affects many women at some point during their adult lives. Cervicitis can be caused
by gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, or sometimes other organisms that are not routinely
tested for.
Having unprotected sex -
not using a condom - with someone who has a sexually transmitted infection,
such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, can spread cervicitis. To find out if you have
cervicitis, you must be examined by a doctor or nurse and have lab tests done.
You may have cervicitis and not have any symptoms. You may notice an increase
in the fluid from the vagina, a burning feeling while urinating, the need to
urinate more often, bleeding or blood spotting from the vagina, or pain during
sexual activity.
If cervicitis is not treated, it can spread and damage organs in the body,
especially the reproductive organs. A woman may have difficulty getting pregnant,
if the cervicitis goes untreated. Pregnant women may pass the infection to their
baby's eyes during childbirth. Some types of infection can cause blindness if
the baby is not treated.
The treatment for cervicitis is antibiotic pills. Any sexual partner(s) of
the person diagnosed with cervicitis must be treated, regardless of their test
results.
Important:
Do not have sex until you and your sexual partner(s) have finished all the medication.
Take all of the medication exactly as instructed.
If you have different sexual partners, or if your partner has different partners,
you should also be tested for other STDs including gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis
and HIV (the virus linked to AIDS). You should also consider getting vaccine
shots to prevent hepatitis B infection.
Please remember:
The more sexual partners you have, the higher your risk of getting a STD.
Birth control pills may
not work very well when you are taking some antibiotic medicines. Keep taking
your birth control pills while taking any medication, and also use a second
form of birth control, such as a condom, until your next period after completing
the antibiotics.
Have sex with only
one partner who has been tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs),
who has been treated if necessary and who is having sex only with you. The
more partners you have, the higher your risk of getting an STD.
Use a female or male
condom every time you have sex. Condoms offer protection against STDs, but
they must be used properly.
A condom
acts like a barrier that helps prevent the exchange of body fluids, the
transmission of sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy.
A new
condom should be used each time you have sexual intercourse (anal, vaginal,
or oral sex).
Check the expiry date on the condom package.
Use
only water-based lubricants with the male latex condom. Oil-based lubricants,
such as petroleum jelly, lotion or baby oil, can weaken and destroy latex.
Female
condoms are made of polyurethane. This material can be used with any type
of lubricant, water-based or oil-based.
Some
lubricants contain chemicals called spermicides to help protect against
unwanted pregnancy. If they irritate your genitals, don't use them.
Do
not use a male condom together with a female condom as the friction created
may cause tearing of either product.
If
a condom breaks during sex remove it immediately and apply a new condom.
Remember!
Condoms do not offer 100 per cent protection from STDs and unwanted pregnancy.
It will not consistently prevent transmission of STDs passed through skin-to-skin
contact - for example, syphilis, human papilloma virus (warts) and
herpes. However, if used properly, they are very effective and can reduce
the risk of transmission of these STDs.
Place the condom on the
tip of the penis when it is hard and erect, but before it touches the partner's
body. Make sure that the rolled-up condom rim faces outward.
With the other hand,
pinch the tip of the condom to remove any trapped air, and unroll the condom
to the base of the erect penis.
After intercourse and
before the penis becomes soft, withdraw the penis carefully, holding the rim
of the condom against the penis, so that semen does not spill out.
Slide the condom gently off the penis, and knot the open end.
A condom can be inserted up to eight hours before sexual intercourse.
Open the package carefully.
Hold the small ring at the closed end of the condom between the thumb and
middle finger.
Find a comfortable position,
either lying down, sitting with your knees apart or standing with one foot
raised on a stool, squeeze the small ring and insert it into the vagina as
far as you can.
Put a finger inside the
condom and push the small ring inside as far as possible. It is also possible
to insert the condom by putting it onto the erect penis before intercourse.
Make sure that the part
of the condom with the outer ring is outside the body. The outer ring will
lie flat against the body when the penis is inside the condom.
When the penis enters
the vagina, make sure that the penis is inside the condom.
Immediately after sexual
intercourse, remove the condom by gently twisting the outer ring and pulling
the condom out, making sure that no semen is spilt and throw it in the garbage.
English