How could an STI affect my sexual and reproductive health?

Some STIs don’t have any symptoms or their symptoms go away. Regular testing finds infections early and helps prevent them from being passed to partners. Treating infections early can prevent serious harm to your reproductive health.

STIs can cause serious infections of the uterus, fallopian tubes (the tubes that carry the egg to the uterus), urethra and prostate.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is one example of an infection from an STI. PID may scar the fallopian tubes. It could cause infertility and other sexual and reproductive health concerns.

STIs can scar and block the tubes that carry the sperm from the testicles (vas deferens). This can cause infertility.