DISEASES OF THE REPRODUCTIVE

SYSTEM AND HOW TO KEEP IT HEALTHY

Chlamydia
 What is Chlamydia?
 Chlamydia is a common STD that can
infect both men and women. It can
cause serious, permanent damage to a
woman’s reproductive system. This can
make it difficult or impossible for her to
get pregnant later on. Chlamydia can
also cause a potentially fatal ectopic
pregnancy (pregnancy that occurs
outside the womb).
Symptoms of Chlamydia
 Treatments for Chlamydia
 Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics.
The recommended antibiotic treatment
is doxycycline taken twice a day for
seven days or azrithromycin taken in
one single dose. Other alternative
medications may be used but are not
as effective as azrithromycin and
doxycycline.
Genital Herpes
Examples of Genital Herpes
Symptoms of Genital
Herpes
 Treatment for Genital
Herpes
 Genital herpes is a chronic, life-long viral infection. Two types of HSV
can cause genital herpes: HSV-1 and HSV-2. Most cases of recurrent
genital herpes are caused by HSV-2, and approximately 50 million
persons in the United States are infected with this type of genital
herpes (318). However, an increasing proportion of anogenital
herpetic infections have been attributed to HSV-1 infection, which is
especially prominent among young women and MSM (319-321).
 Most persons infected with HSV-2 have not had the condition
diagnosed. Many such persons have mild or unrecognized infections
but shed virus intermittently in the anogenital area. As a result, most
genital herpes infections are transmitted by persons unaware that
they have the infection or who are asymptomatic when transmission
occurs. Management of genital HSV should address the chronic
nature of the disease rather than focusing solely on treatment of
acute episodes of genital lesions.
 Diagnostic Considerations
Gonorrhea
Example of Gonorrhea
Symptoms of Gonorrhea
 Treatment for Gonorrhea
 Gonorrhea can be cured with the right treatment. CDC
recommends a single dose of 250mg of intramuscular
ceftriaxone AND 1g of oral azithromycin. It is important
to take all of the medication prescribed to cure
gonorrhea. Medication for gonorrhea should not be
shared with anyone. Although medication will stop the
infection, it will not repair any permanent damage done
by the disease. Antimicrobial resistance in gonorrhea is
of increasing concern, and successful treatment of
gonorrhea is becoming more difficult. If a person’s
symptoms continue for more than a few days after
receiving treatment, he or she should return to a health
care provider to be reevaluated.
Syphilis
Symptoms of Syphilis
 Treatment for Syphilis
 There are no home remedies or over-the-counter
drugs that will cure syphilis, but syphilis is easy to
cure in its early stages. A single intramuscular
injection of long acting Benzathine penicillin G (2.4
million units administered intramuscularly) will cure a
person who has primary, secondary or early latent
syphilis. Three doses of long acting Benzathine
penicillin G (2.4 million units administered
intramuscularly) at weekly intervals is recommended
for individuals with late latent syphilis or latent
syphilis of unknown duration. Treatment will kill the
syphilis bacterium and prevent further damage, but it
will not repair damage already done.
Ovarian Cancer
 Symptoms of
Ovarian Cancer
Treatment for Ovarian Cancer
 Drugs used to treat ovarian
 Typically, treatment plans
cancer are
considered systemic thera
pies because they can reach
cancer cells almost
anywhere in the body. They
can be given by mouth or put
directly into the bloodstream.
are based on the type of
ovarian cancer, its stage,
and any special
situations. Most women with
ovarian cancer will have
some type of surgery to
remove the tumor.
Depending on the type of
ovarian cancer and how
advanced it is, you might
need other types of
treatment as well, either
before or after surgery, or
sometimes both.
Epididymitis
Symptoms of Epididymitis
 Treatment for Epididymitis
 STI screening. A narrow swab is inserted into the
end of your penis to obtain a sample of discharge
from your urethra. The sample is checked in the
laboratory for gonorrhea and chlamydia.
 Urine and blood tests. Samples of your urine
and blood are analyzed for abnormalities.
 Ultrasound. This imaging test might be used to
rule out testicular torsion. Ultrasound with color
Doppler can determine if the blood flow to your
testicles is lower than normal — indicating torsion
— or higher than normal, which helps confirm the
diagnosis of epididymitis.
Prostate Cancer
 Symptoms of
Prostate Cancer
 Treatment for
Prostate Cancer
 If you are younger and otherwise healthy, you might be more
willing to accept possible side effects of treatment if they offer you
the best chance for cure. Most doctors believe that surgery,
external radiation, and brachytherapy all have about the same
cure rates for the earliest stage prostate cancers. However, each
type of treatment has risks and benefits that should be considered.
 Choosing among treatment options is complicated even further by
the development of newer types of surgery (such as 
robotic-assisted prostatectomy) and radiation therapy (such as 
proton beam radiation) in recent years. Many of these seem very
promising, but there is very little long-term data on them, which
means comparing their effectiveness and possible side effects is
difficult. These newer treatments can also only be done in centers
with specialized equipment and trained doctors.
Male Infertility
Symptoms of
Male Infertility
 Treatment for
Male Infertility
 Taking medications to help increase sperm production
 Taking antibiotics to heal an infection
 Taking hormones to improve hormone imbalance
 Avoiding taking long hot showers, using hot tubs or
saunas
 Wearing looser underwear such as boxer
shorts versus jockey shorts
 Sperm production may also improve by taking
clinically proven supplements.  Anything that
increases the number of healthy sperm increases the
chances of conception. Many health food stores and
vitamin shops offer male fertility supplements.
Cervical Cancer
 Symptoms of
Cervical Cancer
 Treatment for
Cervical Cancer
 Cryosurgery
 Laser surgery
 Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP/LEETZ)
 Cold knife conization
 Simple hysterectomy (as the first treatment or if the cancer
returns after other treatments)
 Treatment options for adenocarcinoma in situ include:
 Hysterectomy
 Cone biopsy (a possible option for women who wish to have
children). The cone specimen must have no cancer cells at
the edges, and the woman must be closely watched after
treatment. Once the woman has finished having children, a
hysterectomy is recommended.
Dysmenorrhea
Symptoms of
Dysmenorrhea
 Treatments for
Dysmenorrhea
 Ultrasound. This test uses sound waves to create an image of your
uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries.
 Other imaging tests. A CT scan or MRI scan provides more detail than
an ultrasound and can help your doctor diagnose underlying conditions.
CT combines X-ray images taken from many angles to produce cross-
sectional images of bones, organs and other soft tissues inside your
body.
 MRI uses radio waves and a powerful magnetic field to produce detailed
images of internal structures. Both tests are noninvasive and painless.
 Laparoscopy. Although not usually necessary to diagnosis menstrual
cramps, laparoscopy can help detect an underlying condition, such as
endometriosis, adhesions, fibroids, ovarian cysts and ectopic pregnancy.
During this outpatient surgery, your doctor views your abdominal cavity
and reproductive organs by making tiny incisions in your abdomen and
inserting a fiber-optic tube with a small camera lens.
Amenorrhea
Symptoms of Amenorrhea
 Treatments for Amenorrhea
 An infusion of stinging nettle leaf when
drunk regularly is an effective
treatment for amenorrhea. The
herb Pennyroyal is one of the best
natural remedies for amenorrhea.
Oligomenorrhea
 Symptoms of
Oligomenorrhea
 Treatments for
Oligomenorrhea
 Most cases of oligomenorrhea can be
treated after the cause is addressed. To
do this, many women are placed on
hormonal therapy that then regulates
their menstrual cycle. Some women
need to undergo surgery to remove
tumors. With proper treatment, periods
should become regular again.
Sterility
 Symptoms of Sterility
 Absent menstruation (amenorrhea)
 Short (less than 21 days)
 Long (over 35 days)
 Heavy or long menstruation
 Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation)
 Short menstruation time
 Very pale menstruation
 Clotty or very dark purple/black menstruation
 Mid-cycle bleeding
 Treatment for Sterility
 Treatment for women. Depending on
the reasons for infertility, the timing of
IUI can be coordinated with your
normal cycle or with fertility
medications. Surgery to restore fertility.
Uterine problems such as endometrial
polyps, a uterine septum or
intrauterine scar tissue can be treated
with hysteroscopic surgery
Vaginitis
Symptoms of Vaginitis
 Treatment for Vaginitis
 Metronidazole (Flagyl, Metrogel-Vaginal, others). This
medicine may be taken as a pill by mouth (orally). Metronidazole
is also available as a topical gel that you insert into your vagina.
To reduce the risk of stomach upset, abdominal pain or nausea
while using this medication, avoid alcohol during treatment and
for at least one day after completing treatment — check the
instructions on the product.
 Clindamycin (Cleocin, Clindesse, others). This medicine is
available as a cream that you insert into your vagina.
Clindamycin cream may weaken latex condoms during treatment
and for at least three days after you stop using the cream.
 Tinidazole (Tindamax). This medication is taken orally.
Tinidazole has the same potential for stomach upset and nausea
as oral metronidazole does, so avoid alcohol during treatment
and for at least three days after completing treatment.