What are the possible complications of chlamydia?

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If left untreated, the infection may seriously affect the uterus and fallopian tubes (called 'pelvic inflammatory disease' or PID). About 1 in 5 women with chlamydia develop PID. This may develop suddenly and cause fever and pain. It can also develop slowly over months or years without causing symptoms (also known as silent 'PID'). However, over time, scarring or damage to the fallopian tubes may occur and can cause:

Chronic (persistent) pain.
Difficulty becoming pregnant (infertility).
If you become pregnant, you have an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy (where the pregnancy develops in a fallopian tube and can cause serious life threatening problems). About 4 in 10 ectopic pregnancies are due to infection with chlamydia.
The risk of developing some complications of pregnancy such as miscarriage, premature birth, and stillbirth are increased in pregnant women with untreated chylamydia.
If you have untreated chlamydia during childbirth, your baby may develop a chlamydial infection of their eye or lung during the birth.
Reiter's syndrome is a rare complication. This causes arthritis and eye inflammation. It may be due to the immune system 'over-reacting' to chlamydial infection in some cases.

The risk of complications is much reduced if chlamydial infection is treated early.