An STD test can diagnose a sexually transmitted disease before symptoms appear. If you do have an STD, it’s important to start treatment as soon as possible to avoid serious side effects and complications from STDs and prevent the spread to your partners.
It may feel embarrassing to talk about, but the reality is that STDs are very common. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that as many as 1 in 5 individuals in the U.S. have an STD – which equals out to nearly 68 million infections.
The CDC recommends the following STD tests:
- All sexually active individuals between ages 13 and 64 should be tested at least once for HIV
- All sexually active women younger than 25 should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia once a year
- Sexually active women over age 25 with new or multiple sex partners should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia once a year
- All pregnant women should be tested for syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B
- All sexually active gay and bisexual men should be tested at least once a year for syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea.
- Sexually active gay and bisexual men with multiple or anonymous partners should be tested every 3-6 months for STDs
- Anyone who has unprotected sex or shares needles for injectable drugs should get tested for HIV at least once a year
If an STD is left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems, including infertility, heart disease, pregnancy complications and even cancer.
It may feel embarrassing to talk about, but the reality is that STDs are very common. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that as many as 1 in 5 individuals in the U.S. have an STD – which equals out to nearly 68 million infections.
The CDC recommends the following STD tests:
- All sexually active individuals between ages 13 and 64 should be tested at least once for HIV
- All sexually active women younger than 25 should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia once a year
- Sexually active women over age 25 with new or multiple sex partners should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia once a year
- All pregnant women should be tested for syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B
- All sexually active gay and bisexual men should be tested at least once a year for syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea.
- Sexually active gay and bisexual men with multiple or anonymous partners should be tested every 3-6 months for STDs
- Anyone who has unprotected sex or shares needles for injectable drugs should get tested for HIV at least once a year
If an STD is left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems, including infertility, heart disease, pregnancy complications and even cancer.
