Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis fact sheet (PDF, 165 KB)
Trichomoniasis fact sheet (PDF, 165 KB)
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Trichomoniasis (TRIK-uh-muh-NEYE-uh-suhss) or "trich" is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a parasite. The parasite is spread most often through vaginal, oral, or anal sex. It is one of the most common STIs in the United States and affects more women than men. It is treated easily with antibiotics, but many women do not have symptoms. If left untreated, trichomoniasis can raise your risk of getting HIV.
Trichomoniasis is spread through:
Most infected women have no symptoms. If you do get symptoms, they might appear five to 28 days after exposure and can include:
If you think you may have trichomoniasis, you and your sex partner(s) need to see a doctor or nurse as soon as possible.
To find out whether you have trichomoniasis, your doctor or nurse may:
A Pap test is not used to detect trichomoniasis.
If you have trichomoniasis, you need to be tested for other STIs too.
Trichomoniasis is easily cured with one of two antibiotics:
These antibiotics are usually a pill you swallow in a single dose.
If you are treated for trichomoniasis, your sex partner(s) needs to be treated too. Do not have sex until you and your sex partner(s) finish taking all of the antibiotics and have no symptoms.
Most people with trichomoniasis have no symptoms and never know they have it. Even without symptoms, it can be passed to others.
If you have trichomoniasis, you are at higher risk of getting HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) if you are exposed to HIV. If you are HIV-positive, having trichomoniasis also raises your risk of passing HIV to your sex partner(s). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that women with HIV get screened for trichomoniasis at least once a year.3
Trichomoniasis is easy to treat. But you need to be tested and treated as soon as possible.
If you have trichomoniasis:
Pregnant women with trichomoniasis are at higher risk of premature birth (babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or a low-birth-weight baby (less than 5 1/2 pounds). Premature birth and a low birth weight raise the risk of health and developmental problems at birth and later in life.
The antibiotic metronidazole can be used to treat trichomoniasis during any stage of pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of taking any medicine during pregnancy.
You can take the antibiotic metronidazole if you are breastfeeding. Your doctor may suggest waiting 12 to 24 hours after taking metronidazole before breastfeeding. Do not take tinidazole if you are breastfeeding.
The best way to prevent trichomoniasis or any STI is to not have vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
If you do have sex, lower your risk of getting an STI with the following steps:
The steps work best when used together. No single step can protect you from every single type of STI.
Yes. It is possible to get trichomoniasis, or any other STI, if you are a woman who has sex only with women.
Talk to your partner about her sexual history before having sex, and ask your doctor about getting tested if you have signs or symptoms of trichomoniasis.
For more information about trichomoniasis, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations:
Trichomoniasis fact sheet (PDF, 165 KB)
Find HIV testing locations
To receive Publications email updates
The Office on Women's Health is grateful for the medical review in 2017 by:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff
All material contained on these pages are free of copyright restrictions and may be copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Citation of the source is appreciated.
Page last updated: April 01, 2019.
Trichomoniasis (TRIK-uh-muh-NEYE-uh-suhss) or "trich" is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a parasite. The parasite is spread most often through vaginal, oral, or anal sex. It is one of the most common STIs in the United States and affects more women than men. It is treated easily with antibiotics, but many women do not have symptoms. If left untreated, trichomoniasis can raise your risk of getting HIV.
Trichomoniasis is an STI caused by a parasite. It is one of the most common STIs in the United States.1
Trichomoniasis is more common in women than men. It affects more than 2 million women ages 14 to 49 in the United States.2
Trichomoniasis affects more African-American women than white and Hispanic women. The risk for African-American women goes up with age and lifetime number of sex partners.2
Trichomoniasis is spread through:
Most infected women have no symptoms. If you do get symptoms, they might appear five to 28 days after exposure and can include:
If you think you may have trichomoniasis, you and your sex partner(s) need to see a doctor or nurse as soon as possible.
To find out whether you have trichomoniasis, your doctor or nurse may:
A Pap test is not used to detect trichomoniasis.
If you have trichomoniasis, you need to be tested for other STIs too.
Trichomoniasis is easily cured with one of two antibiotics:
These antibiotics are usually a pill you swallow in a single dose.
If you are treated for trichomoniasis, your sex partner(s) needs to be treated too. Do not have sex until you and your sex partner(s) finish taking all of the antibiotics and have no symptoms.
Most people with trichomoniasis have no symptoms and never know they have it. Even without symptoms, it can be passed to others.
If you have trichomoniasis, you are at higher risk of getting HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) if you are exposed to HIV. If you are HIV-positive, having trichomoniasis also raises your risk of passing HIV to your sex partner(s). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that women with HIV get screened for trichomoniasis at least once a year.3
Trichomoniasis is easy to treat. But you need to be tested and treated as soon as possible.
If you have trichomoniasis:
Pregnant women with trichomoniasis are at higher risk of premature birth (babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or a low-birth-weight baby (less than 5 1/2 pounds). Premature birth and a low birth weight raise the risk of health and developmental problems at birth and later in life.
The antibiotic metronidazole can be used to treat trichomoniasis during any stage of pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of taking any medicine during pregnancy.
You can take the antibiotic metronidazole if you are breastfeeding. Your doctor may suggest waiting 12 to 24 hours after taking metronidazole before breastfeeding. Do not take tinidazole if you are breastfeeding.
The best way to prevent trichomoniasis or any STI is to not have vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
If you do have sex, lower your risk of getting an STI with the following steps:
The steps work best when used together. No single step can protect you from every single type of STI.
Yes. It is possible to get trichomoniasis, or any other STI, if you are a woman who has sex only with women.
Talk to your partner about her sexual history before having sex, and ask your doctor about getting tested if you have signs or symptoms of trichomoniasis.
For more information about trichomoniasis, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations:
This content is provided by the Office on Women's Health.
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