For the mother, a case of gonorrhea contracted during pregnancy can be particularly serious, since it can enter her bloodstream and lead to arthritis, heart disorders, meningitis, and hepatitis. Since women seldom experience the most obvious symptoms of vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, and fever, the only way to diagnose gonorrhea is by way of cultures of the cervix, rectum, and urethra. Although we wouldn't suggest these tests for all women contemplating pregnancy, cultures should be done of women considered high risk. This includes women with a history of gonorrhea or other sexually transmitted disease, those who have had multiple sexual partners, and teenagers. Any woman with a vaginal discharge or inflammation of the cervix should also be checked to rule out gonorrhea and other venereal diseases.
Cure rates are high with appropriate antibiotic treatments.
Patients diagnosed with gonorrhea should also be treated for chlamydia, since these two illnesses commonly appear together. Testing for syphilis and AIDS should also be considered. If gonorrhea is diagnosed before pregnancy, follow-up testing during pregnancy is also advised. All rights reserved.