{"id":3786,"date":"2023-05-15T21:05:58","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T14:05:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/how-often-should-you-get-tested-for-stis\/"},"modified":"2023-05-15T21:05:58","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T14:05:58","slug":"how-often-should-you-get-tested-for-stis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=3786","title":{"rendered":"How Often Should You Get Tested for STIs?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">W<\/span>hen you don&#8217;t have any symptoms, getting tested for a sexually transmitted infection might not be near the top of your list of things to talk to your doctor about at your annual check-up, especially if you&#8217;re in a monogamous relationship. But it should be, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alamedahealthsystem.org\/family-birthing-center\/mch-staff-bios\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.alamedahealthsystem.org\/family-birthing-center\/mch-staff-bios\/\">Kerry-Ann Kelly, MD, MPH,<\/a> a board-certified OB\/GYN in California.<\/div>\n<p>With rates of the most common bacterial STIs\u2014syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia\u2014increasing rapidly among Americans, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/when-to-get-sti-testing\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/when-to-get-sti-testing\/\">testing is becoming ever more essential<\/a> to your health. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.plannedparenthood.org\/planned-parenthood-mar-monte\/campaigns\/stds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.plannedparenthood.org\/planned-parenthood-mar-monte\/campaigns\/stds\">One out of every two<\/a> sexually active people will get an STI by the age of 25, and 2.5 million cases were reported in 2021, according to the latest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/std\/statistics\/2021\/default.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/std\/statistics\/2021\/default.htm\">U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics<\/a>. Syphilis rates rose 32 percent, while gonorrhea and chlamydia rates each went up by four percent between 2020 and 2021\u2014and those numbers are likely even higher because of undiagnosed infections due to fewer people getting screened during the COVID pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>Yet a <a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.questdiagnostics.com\/2018-04-09-New-Survey-False-Beliefs-about-Sexual-Risk-Poor-Physician-Patient-Communication-May-Impede-STD-Screening-in-Young-Women\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/newsroom.questdiagnostics.com\/2018-04-09-New-Survey-False-Beliefs-about-Sexual-Risk-Poor-Physician-Patient-Communication-May-Impede-STD-Screening-in-Young-Women\">2018 report by Quest Diagnostics<\/a> found that only 56 percent of sexually active women in a large survey had ever been screened for an STI. Others assumed they weren&#8217;t at risk, or figured it wasn&#8217;t important because they didn&#8217;t have symptoms, or were simply uncomfortable talking to their doctors about it.<\/p>\n<p>Kelly says anyone who\u2019s sexually active should be tested for STIs every year, or in some cases more often. That\u2019s because although STIs can cause symptoms like pain when urinating or unusual discharge, it\u2019s not uncommon for someone with an STI to have no symptoms at all. That\u2019s especially true for chlamydia, which is found most often through routine screenings.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>It&#8217;s not uncommon for someone with an STI to have no symptoms at all.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThe best way to find out if you have an STI is to test,\u201d Kelly says.\u201cThe body is so amazing and strong it can sometimes mask symptoms, or people can ignore the signs if the infection is not aggressive. That\u2019s why universal testing is my recommendation.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-often-should-you-get-tested-stis\/\" current-title=\"Why You Should Get Tested for STIs Annually\u2014Even if You\u2019re in a Monogamous Relationship\" current-image=\"GettyImages-how-often-should-you-get-tested-for-stis.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2022-11-15\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-often-should-you-get-tested-stis\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-often-should-you-get-tested-stis\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-often-should-you-get-tested-stis\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>And that recommendation goes no matter how long you\u2019ve been in a monogamous relationship. \u201cMonogamy is a fluid concept in our culture and society. What it might mean to one person, it doesn\u2019t always mean to their partner,\u201d she says. \u201cIf you\u2019re monogamous, you can\u2019t be certain your partner is. I see people in long-term monogamous relationships have positive STI test results all the time. That\u2019s why I encourage every single woman to get tested yearly, and her partner as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you do have multiple sexual partners or are in a high-risk group, Kelly says you might want to get tested more than once a year. For instance, gay and bisexual men are disproportionately affected by STIs and should undergo routine testing every three months. STIs are also underreported among Black people and Native Americans, according to the CDC, although it\u2019s most likely due to lack of access to health care (not sexual practices).<\/p>\n<p>If the potential cost of screenings is holding you back, don&#8217;t let it: There are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.plannedparenthood.org\/health-center\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.plannedparenthood.org\/health-center\">free testing sites<\/a> across the country.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The complications of untreated UTIs: infertility and pain<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Let&#8217;s look at the costs\/benefits here: Getting tested might be a bit of a hassle, and require you to pee in a cup or get some blood taken. But catching an STI early can have a major impact on your life.<\/p>\n<p>Untreated STIs, particularly gonorrhea and chlamydia, are one of the most common causes of infertility, something that many couples who are having trouble conceiving may not realize, says Kelly. Untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea are the main causes of pelvic inflammatory disease, which can cause scarring of the fallopian tubes. This can make it harder for an egg to get to the fallopian tube, and eventually to the uterus. Sperm never even get the chance to fertilize it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf the fallopian tubes are blocked, then you can\u2019t get pregnant through natural means,\u201d says Kelly. \u201cSTIs are one way to become infertile and screening for them should be at the top of the list\u201d if you\u2019re having trouble conceiving.<\/p>\n<p>Along with infertility, untreated STIs can cause long-term pelvic pain in women, testicular pain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/std-testing-for-straight-men\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/std-testing-for-straight-men\/\">in men<\/a>, and, if left untreated long enough, turn into sepsis if the infection spreads throughout the body.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, when caught early, most STIs are easily treated with antibiotics. Routine screenings mean infections can be taken care of before they lead to complications. And while condoms can help prevent STIs, they aren\u2019t foolproof and can break or fail, says Kelly.<\/p>\n<p>While you shouldn\u2019t be afraid to ask your healthcare provider for STI testing, at-home testing kits offer reliable results for those who aren\u2019t comfortable talking to their providers, or are told they don\u2019t need testing. \u201cEven if your physician says testing\u2019s not necessary, you need to do it,\u201d she says. The risks of skipping that annual test just aren&#8217;t worth it\u2014for you or your partner.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you don&#8217;t have any symptoms, getting tested for a sexually transmitted infection might not be near the top of your list of things to talk to your doctor about at your annual check-up, especially if you&#8217;re in a monogamous relationship. But it should be, says Kerry-Ann Kelly, MD, MPH, a board-certified OB\/GYN in California. &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3787,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3786"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3786\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3787"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3786"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3786"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}