When To Call a Doctor

Call your doctor immediately if you:

• Have lower belly pain and a fever higher than 101°F (38.3°C) along with an abnormal vaginal discharge.
• Are pregnant and have symptoms of a vaginal infection or a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Call your doctor for an appointment within 1 week if you:

• Have an abnormal vaginal discharge.
• Have unusual vaginal itching.
• Have pain during sex or urination.
• Find out that your sex partner has been diagnosed with or treated for trichomoniasis (trich).

Watchful waiting

Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your doctor observe your symptoms or condition without using medical treatment. Watchful waiting is not appropriate if you think you have trichomoniasis (trich). In most cases, trich should be treated to prevent transmitting this sexually transmitted disease to others and to prevent some problems that can happen if you are pregnant.

Note: Trich during pregnancy raises the risk of premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and premature delivery. Treating the infection does not appear to reduce this risk.² If you are pregnant and have trich, talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of treatment.

Who to see

Health professionals who can diagnose and treat a trichomoniasis (trich) infection include:

• Physician assistants.
• Nurse practitioners.
• Family medicine doctors.
• Internists.
• Gynecologists.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.