# Chlamydia testing help...



## FuzzyButtercup (Jun 2, 2011)

Hi,

Apologies if I have posted this in the wrong place - I'm struggling to get my head around anything tonight  

I will come back and post a proper introduction later but I am hoping you can help me with a couple of really urgent questions concerning chlamydia tests...
Is it a legal (or whatever the appropriate term is!) requirement for a clinic to test you for chlamydia before starting treatment?
If yes, does that apply to both the male and female patients?

A short background is that we are about to start IVF treatment, it's been one hell of a couple of months - at every stage things have just fallen into place and then we get hit by a brick of some sorts - the last straw has been to do with chlamydia testing. For some reason, the consultant at the hospital never tested either of us for it, I'm not sure if they should have done? The lack of chlamydia test was picked up by our clinic when they received our referral, they advised us to go to our GP to have it done. We did that but the nurse refused to do it (she said they couldn't do it at the surgery) and told us to go to a GUM clinic except all 3 GUM clinics near us said they couldn't give us the results in writing.

The fertility clinic said not to worry, that they would sort it out, however, at our booking in appointment on Monday they discovered they can't do chlamydia tests for PCT funding patients as they can't charge the PCT. They can't do the test privately and charge us as that would then contravene our PCT funding.

We went back to the GP (who was lovely) and he argued our case with the practice manager and she reluctantly agreed that they could do the tests. On the basis that the GP said our results would be back today, the fertility clinic agreed to book us in for Tuesday morning to go over the drug protocol with a nurse and to order our drugs - with treatment starting on the 4th July. They have said without the chlamydia results they cannot see us - they cannot go through the drug protocol or order drugs or anything.

I called the GP this evening to arrange to collect the results and was told my results have been delayed as the lab is busy and they won't have them until Monday evening / Tuesday morning - worse still, H's results have been rejected by the lab as they used the wrong test kit. The PCT have arranged for the GUM clinic to give him results in writing but they aren't open until Monday and results will take at least 3 days to come back.

I am sorry, this has gone on and on - I hope you are following me    I just cannot, cannot, cannot push treatment back until the end of August - not only am I an emotional mess at the moment but I have spent weeks working with my boss to put things in place at work so that I can work from home throughout most of the treatment cycle to reduce stress - it's involved people cutting short their own paternity leave and holiday. Postponing just isn't an option  

My Husband and I are childhood sweethearts, I've never played away from home and he is adament he never has - so there is a 99.99999999% chance the results will be clear, if there was any niggle that they wouldn't be I wouldn't be so upset.

I'm trying to understand why chlamydia tests are so important with no joy - if I could understand I wouldn't be so upset.

If it makes any difference, all of my tests (TVS, HSG, all blood tests etc.) have come back clear - we have a very strong case of male factor.
I am trying to work out if it is even an option begging the clinic to see us on Tuesday without the test results, proceeding with ordering the drugs and everything as we will absolutely, no question, have the results before I actually start the drugs on the 4th July?
As it is, my Husband is going to the GUM clinic on Monday and we are also considering a second private test at Harley Street tomorrow – results for which would be available on Thursday.

All advice would be so appreciated x x x


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## Michelle1799 (May 16, 2011)

Hi Buttercup,

Im not sure if this is going to help however I think all clinics test for chlamydia before treatment, this is also one of the standard tests done when a women falls pregnant naturally. The reason for this is if you have chlamydia when you are pregnant there can be some serious consequences for the baby with the infection being passed to them. Women who are pregnant with chlamydia tend to have a c-section as the infection can be passed on to the baby in the birth canal. I think that clinics are being precautionary with this as it can also cause miscarriage. 

If you check the Baby Centre website out you will get more information on this.  

I hope this helps  

Take care 
M x


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## ahssakat (Mar 20, 2010)

Hi,


I got pregnant naturally while I had chlamydia (I didn't know at the time - of course) and it caused me to have an ectopic. While it sounds like you are very low risk they need to be sure to avoid complications later.


We got our tests done at the local GUM clinic for free.


Kat


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## L_ouise (Sep 23, 2010)

I can totally 100% understand your upset and frustration about being delayed due to something that is due to other peoples errors, but yes the chlamydia tests are totally necessary.

They will only need to test you initially and will only test hubby if your results come back positive.

The reason why it is so important is that it causes MASSIVE internal damage to your reproductive system. Imagine it to be the equivilant of acid... it attacks and corrodes your reproductive tissue leaving behind a huge amount of scarred tissue that an embryo cannot implant into.

It might be slightly redundant by this stage i imagine that you have had ultrasounds which should have shown any scar tissue BUT sometimes it can be missed if they aren't looking for it.

At the end of the day, if you have chlamydia it poses a risk to the success of your proceedure and i can gaurantee that if your IVF cycle failed that you would hate yourself for not waiting


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## ahssakat (Mar 20, 2010)

Hi,

'The reason why it is so important is that it causes MASSIVE internal damage to your reproductive system. Imagine it to be the equivilant of acid... it attacks and corrodes your reproductive tissue leaving behind a huge amount of scarred tissue that an embryo cannot implant into.'


I second this comment. The whole reason I'm doing IVF is because of damage from chlamydia. Seriously, better safe than sorry. My HSG actually showed open tubes, but our efforts at IUI etc have shown that my tubes actually don't work properly. 


Kat


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