Every year in the United States, nearly 20 million people discover that they’ve contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STDs) —such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, human papillomavirus (HPV), and trichomoniasis. Although most of these infections occur through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex, some STDs, including herpes and syphilis, can be transmitted just as easily through skin-on-skin contact.
While some people display obvious symptoms, others can carry an STD — and pass it on — without showing any signs of infection. That’s why so many contract STDs, and it’s essential that you take care of your sexual health. Here’s how having periodic STD screenings with Dr. Makunda Abdul-Mbacke at Piedmont Preferred Women's Healthcare can help you do just that.
If you’re sexually active on any level — even if you always use protection with new partners — regular STD screenings should be part of your normal preventive health care routine.
Besides being the only way to detect a sexually transmitted infection that’s asymptomatic or lying dormant, regular STD testing gives you an opportunity to treat new infections before they can cause long-term health complications or impact your fertility.
Knowing your STD status is also key to preventing the further spread of infection. You should inform your past and current partners about your positive result so they can get tested as well. If your STD can’t be cured, find out what kind of steps you should take to protect your current and future partners.
The nature of your sexual activity, including the number of partners you have and whether or not you use protection, is largely what determines how often you should undergo routine STD testing. In general, a more complicated sex life requires more frequent testing.
If you only have one partner and you’re in a monogamous, long-term relationship, you may only need to be tested once a year, depending on your age, risk factors, and health history.
Although many committed couples decide to stop regular STD testing following consistently negative results, you should resume testing if your relationship status changes or if you find out or suspect that your partner has been sexually active outside of your relationship.
If you’re not sexually active more than a few times a year and you use protection each time, annual STD testing may be sufficient. If you don’t use protection, however, you should plan to be tested after each new partner.
If you’ve been sexually active in the past but haven’t been tested since, you should get screened before you find your next partner or dive into your next relationship.
Young people account for half of all new STD infections in the United States, even though they make up only 25% of the sexually active population. If you’re sexually active and under age 25, you should be tested at least once a year, whether you’re male, female, straight, gay, or bisexual.
For anyone in this high-risk age category, it’s especially important to be routinely tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, which are the most commonly reported STDs among sexually active teens and young adults.
No matter what your age, gender, or sexual orientation, you should consider having more frequent testing (every 3-6 months) if you have multiple sex partners, particularly if you rarely or never use protection. You may also benefit from more frequent testing if your current partner has an STD, even if they’re receiving treatment.
Because certain sexually transmitted infections can pose a serious threat to unborn babies, you should undergo standard STD testing in your first trimester if you’re pregnant. Repeated testing may be required if you’re sexually active throughout your pregnancies, particularly if you have new or multiple partners.
No matter how conscientious you are about using protection or how committed you may be to your partner, if you’re sexually active, you should get tested.
Remember, many of the most common STDs can be cured with medicine, and those that can’t be cured can often be successfully managed with the right treatment.
If you’re ready to schedule a comprehensive STD screening test, contact Dr. Abdul-Mbacke at iedmont Preferred Women’s Healthcare today. We serve patients in Ridgeway and Danville, VA, as well as Rockingham County, Eden, and Reedsville, NC
