Mycoplasma genitalium is a bacterial infection similar to chlamydia, but sometimes harder to treat because certain strains are resistant to antibiotics. Many people have no symptoms at all. But when symptoms occur, they often feel like a mild urinary tract infection: burning, discharge, or dull pain low in the abdomen.

It spreads through unprotected sex and can only be detected with a specific test. That’s why it’s important to mention your symptoms or concerns so the right test is taken from the start.

Common signs:

• Burning when peeing

• Light or unusual discharge

• Lower abdominal pain

• Spotting between periods

• Sometimes no symptoms at all

Alma’s tips:

It’s common to walk around with mycoplasma without knowing it. That’s why you should always test yourself after unprotected sex — especially if something feels different. Also tell us if you’ve taken antibiotics recently, since it can affect the result. Remember: test, treat, recover. It’s not more complicated than that. Condoms are the best protection against most sexually transmitted infections, but they cannot fully protect against infections spread through skin-to-skin contact such as HPV or herpes.