When the fallopian tubes are blocked, no pregnancy is possible naturally. Occasionally women with damaged tubes do get pregnant but the pregnancy can develop in the tubes rather than the womb. This is called an ectopic pregnancy. The tube can split apart causing serious pain and bleeding. This is an emergency as the bleeding can be life threatening.
Men can also run into trouble.
But, women often have no reason to suspect they have chlamydia so do not seek advice at one of these clinics. Apart from sexual health experts, many doctors do not have sufficient knowledge and training to suspect that symptoms can be caused by chlamydia and to do an appropriate test. More importantly, health-care professionals are often unaware of how common the problem is and that it does not usually cause symptoms. An education campaign for professionals is badly needed. Some clinicians find it difficult to talk about sex or to put their patients at ease.