Dear Nurse Felicia,

I was recently treated by my doctor for Chlamydia. My current boyfriend and I haven’t been together for a very long time and it’s not possible that I contracted the infection from my former boyfriend who used to cheat on me.

My current boyfriend does not have any signs of infection and I fear that telling him might damage our relationship. My doctor said I should tell him, but is it really necessary?

Sincerely,
Nervous

Dear Nervous,

It seems that there are two issues here, a moral issue and a health issue. Obviously my expertise lies in the latter realm but I think the moral issue is pretty clear.

Think about how betrayed you felt by the dishonesty of your former boyfriend who cheated on you. Failing to disclose a sexually transmitted infection to your current partner is equally dishonest.

If you really care about this man, shouldn’t you want a relationship built on honesty and trust?

Even though your boyfriend does not currently have any symptoms, he may still have Chlamydia. Failure to treat the infection can lead to more serious infections of the urinary tract or the epididymis; the tube which transports sperm from the testes to the penis, causing severe pain and potentially even infertility.

Untreated Chlamydia in women can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, a serious infection of the reproductive tract which can also cause infertility.

Perhaps the disclosure of your current situation is also an opportunity to talk with your boyfriend about condoms.

Nurse Felicia.

Please send your health queries to askfelica@gmail.com