Hi

It is common for sexually transmitted infections (STI) not to show any symptoms. This can make it difficult to know if something has been passed to you.

It is good that your sexual partner gets regular STI tests as that will reduce the risk. Even if someone has an STI it is never 100% that it will pass to you the first time you have sex.

I would recommend going for an STI test. To get an accurate result you need to make sure that you wait for the window period to be over before getting your STI test. The window period is the time between when a person comes in contact with a STI and when the STI will show up on a test.

We find that most gonorrhea and chlamydia (urine or swab test) will show up by 2 weeks and most blood test e.g. HIV, syphilis, hepatitis etc…. Will show up by 6 weeks (some of the blood test can take up to 3 months to get a final result). Just speak with the health professional who does the testing to see what the window period is for the tests they are doing.

If you get symptoms of an STI you should go to the clinic straight away otherwise wait 2 weeks before going for a test. You can get STI tests at any doctor’s office or walk in clinics. Also have a look at our clinic finder for STI clinics.

It can be stressful waiting for the widow period to end so that you can get your STI test. Have a look at our worry page for helpful tips on how to reduce the stress while you wait.

Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.

Health Nurse

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