Smears & STI Testing

went to get my smear today- i was surprised to learn that they don't test you for STI (unless you ask).  i heard horrible stats about STI in under 20's (something like 15%).  why don't they test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea at the smear?  cost, i guess?

I got offered it freely the first time I registered with my GP.  They took a urine sample and said they could test for gonorrhoea at the same time if I wanted (just needed to tick a box for it!).

I ahve always found that the two are kept apart, so family planning will do smears but you need to go to the GUM for STI testing.

Vicky

now i haven't lived in the US in nearly 6 years, but all the times i was there, i wasn't tested for STIs unless i asked or they asked me specifically, which wasn't all the time.

i didn't realize it was patchy in the US- i guess b/c i always went to planned parenthood or my student's health services, they always offered to do STI testing, even pushed it.

now i haven't lived in the US in nearly 6 years, but all the times i was there, i wasn't tested for STIs unless i asked or they asked me specifically, which wasn't all the time.

Yes me too! The only time I was tested for anything on either side of the pond was HIV when I was pregnant.

I agree, I never got tested for anything in the US unless I specifically requested it!

I agree, I never got tested for anything in the US unless I specifically requested it!

Neither did I. However, my doc always asked me how many partners I'd had. I think if she'd judged me as high risk, she'd have tested me even if I hadn't requested it.

I agree, I never got tested for anything in the US unless I specifically requested it!

Same here - except, like Pebbles, HIV when pregnant.

Neither did I. However, my doc always asked me how many partners I'd had. I think if she'd judged me as high risk, she'd have tested me even if I hadn't requested it.

When I was working at the women's clinic at a county hospital in a large US city, we would regularly see women who had only one partner, but a laundry list of STIs.

They were usually foreigners, but it was a frequent enough occurance.

Same here - except, like Pebbles, HIV when pregnant.

When pregnant, the mother's blood is tested for Syphilis - the test is called the TPHA.   A positive result would affect the foetus

Interesting first post....

Interesting first post....

 

When I was working at the women's clinic at a county hospital in a large US city, we would regularly see women who had only one partner, but a laundry list of STIs.

They were usually foreigners, but it was a frequent enough occurance.

It can definitely happen, but the more partners you have the higher your chances of contracting something. Right? And perhaps these women were fibbing?!? I have a friend who always did because she was embarrassed!

what's that saying?  you're not just sleeping with your partner, but with everyone your partner's ever been with?  eekekek that could add up quick!

i guess this isn't just a US/UK thing... i'm disappointed in people for not taking the inititive in getting themselves checked out for STI proactively.