Chlamydia From Oral Sex

Yes, it’s possible to pass on chlamydia through oral sex – many STIs are most commonly spread via oral sex. Oral sex is the stimulation of the genitals using the mouth, lips and/or tongue – in other words, when a person puts their lips/mouth/tongue to another person’s penis/vulva/anus.

Chlamydia is one of the most common STIs in the UK – although people who have it don’t always display recognisable symptoms. If can be treated fairly easily with antibiotics if it is caught early, but if left untreated, chlamydia can cause serious long-term health problems.

How can oral sex spread chlamydia? – in terms of giving and receiving oral sex with your partner, it is both possible to:

• Get chlamydia (of the vagina, penis and/or anus) when receiving oral sex by a partner who has chlamydia (of the throat)
• Pass on chlamydia (of the vagina, penis and/or anus) when giving oral sex if you currently have chlamydia (of the throat)

What kind of oral sex is most likely to spread chlamydia? – the most common way to pass chlamydia during oral sex is in oral sex on the penis without using a condom. However, it is also entirely possible to give or get chlamydia via oral sex on the vagina or anus.

Reducing the risk of chlamydia from oral sex – the only way to reduce your risk of getting or giving an STI like chlamydia during oral sex is by using a condom, a dental dam, or another barrier method during the act. Theoretically, the chances of passing on infection when using a condom are close to none, but this is of course not accounting for the a broken condom, slipping off, or being used incorrectly.

You can pass chlamydia from mouth to genitals – just like you can from genital contact. However, it’s very rare to pass chlamydia on during deep kissing (with tongues).

To avoid passing chlamydia on this way – the safest way to avoid chlamydia during oral sex is to use a condom if you are sleeping with a new partner, until you have both been tested. The test for chlamydia is quick and simple and can be performed from your own home.

Trying other forms of sex instead – you can also practice other forms of sex (such as mutual masturbation) as long as you are careful not to share bodily fluids between each other’s genitals and mouths. This is how the bacteria is most commonly spread.

It’s not always easy to tell if you’ve gotten chlamydia from oral sex – symptoms of chlamydia vary slightly between the different types (vagina/penis/anus/throat), but the main symptoms are:

• Pain when you go to the toilet (urination)
• Unusual discharge from the vagina/penis/anus
• Stomach pains, bleeding during or after sex from the vagina, or bleeding between periods
• Painful or swollen testicles
• A sore throat

Chlamydia is an STI that often doesn’t display symptoms – many people have or carry chlamydia without knowing about it at all. However, this can be incredibly dangerous in the long-run, especially in terms of your fertility.

The only way to check if you are STI-free is to have an STI test – you can get this done in-person, at most local GP surgeries, sexual health clinics, or by ordering a chlamydia test kit online.

Chlamydia is most commonly reported in young people (between the age of 14 and 24) – the reasons for this could be:

• Behavioural (not using condoms consistently, or having several different sexual partners)
• Biological (certain conditions such as cervical ectopy can increase your risk of getting infected)
• Cultural (potentially having less access to STI prevention services, or a perceived stigma)

Situations that can pass on chlamydia – according to some sources, the greatest chance of passing on infection is through oral sex involving a penis without a condom. Chlamydia is passed on during sex (oral or genital) and also during childbirth. For chlamydia in pregnancy – if the person giving birth is infected and remains untreated at the time of birth.

To lower your risk of getting chlamydia – you should use a barrier method (like condoms) with all new sexual partners, and have regular STI screening tests to make sure you have not caught an infection. STIs like chlamydia are very easy to treat with antibiotics, which are available free on the NHS.