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True Care Women's Resource Center

Should I get tested for STDs before I have an abortion? 

The answer is a definite “Yes!”

It is very important for a woman considering an abortion to know if she has any sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in her reproductive tract and to be treated if she is positive for an STD prior to her abortion.

During an abortion procedure, bacteria from the lower reproductive tract can be introduced into the uterus, leading to something called Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (an infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and other reproductive organs in women). Also known as PID, this is a serious and sometimes life threatening infection and can cause scarring in the uterus and fallopian tubes leading to future infertility. Two STDs, Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, are very common culprits of PID and can be treated with antibiotics.  With Chlamydia, many women have no symptoms and are not aware they have an infection. Natrona County has more Chlamydia cases than any other Wyoming county. Of the patients who have Chlamydia at the time of an abortion, as many as 23% will develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease within four weeks. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7121913, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3610163,http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3763086).

If you are a woman considering an abortion, be sure to get tested before your procedure.  True Care offers free testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea and free treatment if you are positive (and we can provide treatment referrals for you to give to your partner).  We also provide free pregnancy testing and confirmation ultrasounds, a pregnancy options consultation with accurate information on all of your pregnancy options, and we provide many community resources including parenting and adoption resources, career training and job search resources, insurance eligibility, and even info on safe houses and counseling.

Don’t play games with your health.

 Get tested for STDs before you have an abortion. Contact our Helpliners to schedule an appointment either through our website or by calling 307-215-9684.