New Member Orientation

Infertility Prevention Project (IPP) History

The Infertility Prevention Project (IPP) is a nationwide collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Office of Population Affairs (OPA).

Chlamydia is the most common bacterial STD in the US. If left untreated, it can lead to serious consequences such as PID, ectopic pregnancy and infertility. As a result, the goals of the National Infertility Prevention Project (more commonly referred to as the Chlamydia Project) are to: (1) implement effective prevention strategies designed to reduce the debilitating complications caused by Chlamydia trachomatis infections in the US through screening and treating women; and (2) create an interdisciplinary and collaborative STD prevention effort at the regional and state levels.

Today, the CDC provides ongoing guidance and technical assistance in the operation of the project, including the provision of up-to-date information on testing, treatment, surveillance, and other vital components of a Chlamydia prevention program.

All ten federal regions now have a Chlamydia Project where partnership occurs among STD, Family Planning and Public Health Laboratories. Consequently, a majority of screening occurs in publicly-funded Family Planning and STD clinics while relying on significant lab involvement. The benefits of this interdisciplinary prevention effort are countless.