Every year, thousands of men and women develop serious health problems when they contract chlamydial or gonorrheal infection and it's not detected, treated and cured.

Women with chlamydia and/or gonorrhea are also 3-5 times more likely to contract HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) if exposed to HIV while infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea.

Health Problems Developed by Women:
If untreated, chlamydial and/or gonorrheal infections can cause scarring and inflammation of the fallopian tubes and ovaries (a condition called Pelvic Inflammatory Disease or PID). PID can cause infertility, chronic pelvic pain and can increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy, which can be fatal. An ectopic pregnancy occurs because a fertilized egg can not reach the uterus due to a blocked fallopian tube, therefore forcing the fetus to develop outside the uterus - a condition which often leads to emergency surgery. Babies born to mothers who have chlamydia and/or gonorrhea can contract an eye infection, which may lead to blindness. Chlamydia may also cause your baby to develop pneumonia after birth.

Health Problems Developed by Men:
In men, untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause a painful infection of the scrotum called epididymitis, which can lead to sterility.

To avoid these serious health problems, the best thing to do is to get tested as soon as possible and then re-tested every 6 to 12 months thereafter. Ask your doctor about taking the BD BeAware™ test... it's as easy as providing a urine sample.

To learn more about tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea, .

To find a doctor who can test you, .