Chlamydia can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics, which may be administered in a single dose or taken over the course of a week. Pregnant women may be treated effectively with antibiotics without harming their fetus.

Patients should take all prescribed medication, even if symptoms are not present or disappear. Once chlamydia is diagnosed, all current and past sexual partners should be informed and treated to avoid reinfection. Patients and their sexual partners should avoid sexual contact until treatment is completed.

Patients are not usually retested for chlamydia after completing the medication unless symptoms persist or reinfection is suspected.

There are a number of steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of getting chlamydia. They include the following:

• Practicing abstinence. The best way to prevent infection is to practice abstinence or avoid having vaginal, anal and oral sex.
  
  
• Using condoms. Using a condom correctly during every sexual encounter can lower the risk of contracting chlamydia, as well as other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).  For vaginal sex, use a male latex condom or a female polyurethane condom. For anal sex, use a male latex condom. For oral sex, use a dental dam, which is a rubbery material that can be placed over the penis or the vagina durning sexual contact.
  
  
• Limiting sexual partners. Having multiple sexual partners increases the risk of getting chlamydia and other STDs. Maintaining a long-term, monogamous relationship is the best way to prevent contracting STDs. In addition, partners should honestly discuss their past sexual histories to understand the possible risks.

Because teenagers and young adults – especially females - are more susceptible to chlamydia infection, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that sexually active women age 25 and under be given an annual screening test for chlamydia whether they exhibit symptoms or not.