Can I still have children?

I began having symptoms since 2006 after every period...itching, pelvic pain, red bumps, and discharge. I checked w my OBGYN everytime...even last year at my annual pap exam I requested to be tested for STD's since most don't do it routine. All came back negative. I've been non sexually active since early 2006...and had my last STD test ran by the local Health Department before being active in early 06 so i have a good idea whom i contracted anything from. I got a bad case of it in january, itch, discharge, red vulva, back pain etc. I went to my OBGYN he tested sent to lab, tested for Chlamydia, Herpes, AGAIN the tests came back negative. Now last month I requested a full STD panel (BLOOD WORK) conducted by Labcorp...all negative. Still waiting on my Herpes Select test to come back.

My General doc got the results back and said i had Chlamydia. I read that Chlamydia symptoms can be simliar to Herpes, is that true? Anyway, the results said Antibodies Igg to Chlamydia and my range was 1.48, the scale was 0 - 0.91 greater than 1.01 is positive. My question...whose result should i trust? Should I get retest in months? My doc placed me on Doxylyn etc...should i follow up w my OBGYN?

[Shayne Plosker, MD]

Dear Rosie72 -

If you have antibodies to chlamydia, this means that at some point you had chlamydia, but it is impossible to predict when - could have been 10 or 15 years ago, or last month. Cultures do not pick up all cases of chlamydia. There is no harm in being on doxycycline in case the infection is recent. Chlamydia does not mimic herpes - chlamydia is most often asymptomatic but can result in cervical discharge and pelvic pain which is different than the vulvar pain of herpes. Regarding your question about still being able to get pregnant, the answer is probably, but you would need to get an xray test called a hysterosalpingogram to see if your fallopian tubes are open.