If you are sexually active, regular screening for sexually transmitted infections (STI) is very important in protecting your general health. At Women’s Excelelnce, we offer screening at both well-woman (annual) exams and at any problem-focused visit. Testing is done both with vaginal cultures and blood work.
The vaginal cultures screen for:
- Gonorrhea
- Chlamydia
- Trichomonas
With bloodwork, we can screen for:
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- HIV
- Syphilis.
There are signs and symptoms you can look for that may indicate the presence of an infection. These can include:
- Vaginal discharge
- Vaginal odor
- Pain or discomfort during intercourse
- Pain while urinating
- Vaginal itching
- Presence of sores, bumps, or warts on the mouth, anus, or vagina
- Irregular bleeding
- Swelling of the vulva
- Fever, pain, chills
The CDC includes the following recommendations:
- All woman under the age of 25 should be annually tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia
- Any woman with a new sexual partner, multiple sexual partners, or a partner that has tested positive for an STI should be screened annually for gonorrhea and chlamydia
- All adults should be tested at least once for HIV and this should be done annually if engaging in unsafe sexual practices or sharing injectable needle equipment used for drugs
- All pregnant or at risk woman should be tested for syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV.
- All woman born between 1945 and 1965 or at increased risk for any reason should be screened for Hepatitis C
For a complete list of screening recommendations, please follow this link: https://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/screening-recommendations.htm
At Women’s Excellence, we find if very important that our patients are honest with us about their sexual health and practices so that we can work together to best protect your well-being.