How Family Planning Can Benefit You When the Time Is Right
Family planning is just as much about when not to have a baby as it is to work toward conception. Preventing unwanted pregnancies now can improve your options for the future.
How Often Should I Be Screened for STIs?
A healthy and fulfilling sex life is vital to your mental, emotional, and physical health. Due to the risks of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) — also called sexually transmitted infections (STIs) — you must protect yourself and your partners.
In 2022, more than 2.5 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia were reported in the United States. About one in every five individuals contracts an STI each year.
Many STIs are manageable, especially when detected early. Gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, and syphilis are easily discovered with regular STD testing, even when they display no symptoms.
Eve Medical in Miami, Florida, is your local STD testing specialist. We offer private, comprehensive screening and treatment when STDs are discovered. In this blog, our specialists explain why regular STI testing is critical, who should be tested, and how often.
Why is regular testing vital?
Due to the rapid proliferation of STDs, every sexually active person should make regular testing a priority. Anyone can contract a sexually transmitted infection, even if they don’t have multiple partners and regularly use protection.
- Gonorrhea has increased 11% in the US since 2018
- Syphilis has increased 80% in the US since 2018
- Syphilis in newborns has increased by 183% since 2018
- Almost half of all new STIs were reported in people aged 15-24
STD checkups are simply a wise preventive measure on par with cholesterol screening, high blood pressure screening, and other important health tests.
Detecting STIs early is vital to prevent them from spreading. Early detection facilitates faster treatment that may work better and reduce your risks for more serious complications.
Waiting for symptoms to appear is a mistake; many STIs can now be detected before symptoms appear. Even if the disease you have is incurable, such as genital herpes, treatments and interventions can help you manage outbreaks and keep your partners safe.
If you do test positive for an STD, you should inform all your past and current partners so they can also be tested.
Who should be tested for STDs, and when?
Routine annual screening for individuals in a monogamous relationship is completely adequate. People with multiple partners or who don’t use protection should have more frequent testing. Couples in a stable relationship who consistently test negative can usually stop regular STI testing after several years.
The only contraception that offers some protection against STIs is male and female condoms. Annual testing is recommended if you have infrequent sex and always use condoms. If you've had unprotected sex or sex with a new partner, you should get tested.
If you've been sexually active in the past but have never tested for STDs, get tested now. We recommend prioritizing comprehensive testing before any further sexual activity.
What if I’m at a higher risk for STIs?
Certain populations are at an increased risk of contracting STIs. Here are the latest recommendations for some of the most common high-risk categories:
- Sexually active under 25: yearly testing
- People with multiple sexual partners: testing every 3-6 months
- If your current partner is diagnosed with an STD: testing every 3-6 months
- Women who are pregnant or intend to become pregnant soon: testing during the first trimester; repeated tests as recommended by your gynecologist
You are your health's most important advocate. Proactive, informed decisions can prevent difficult situations and protect your sexual and overall health. The specialists at Eve Medical can help you with treatments to manage symptoms and outbreaks so you can live life to the fullest.
Contact us to get tested and take control of your sexual health. Call the office Monday through Saturday to make an appointment, or request one online anytime.
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