Okay, let’s talk about getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Yeah, we know. The whole subject of STDs is difficult for most of us to even read about, let alone talk about.
And getting tested for a sexually transmitted infection can be a very awkward subject to initiate, even with your empathetic, trusted, and non-judgmental OB/GYN. But the potential consequences of not talking about it far outweigh any embarrassment that might be inherent in such a discussion.
How common are STDs?
STDs, also known as STIs (sexually transmitted infections), are extremely common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov), about 20 million new sexually transmitted infections are acquired each year in the United States.
For a variety of reasons, many of those infectious diseases will not receive prompt treatment. There’s always that awkward embarrassment factor that can delay or even prevent diagnosis and treatment.
And many STDs don’t display any symptoms at all. Some STD-like symptoms can also indicate non-sexually transmitted infections. The result? Many people have an STD without being aware of it. That’s why testing is so important.
Some of the common sexually transmitted diseases we test for: Human papilloma virus (a.k.a. HPV)
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. 79 million Americans, most in their late teens and early 20s, are infected with HPV. There are many different types of HPV infections. Many are relatively innocuous, but some can cause health problems, including genital warts and cancers. But vaccines are available that can prevent these health problems.
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a common STD that infects both men and women. It can cause serious, permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive system. These changes can make it difficult or impossible for her to get pregnant subsequently. Chlamydia can also cause an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that occurs outside the womb), which can be fatal to both mother and child.
Gonorrhea
Anyone who is sexually active can get gonorrhea. Gonorrhea can cause very serious complications if not treated but can be readily cured with the right medication.
Syphilis
Syphilis can cause infections in the genitals, rectum, and throat. It’s a very common infection, especially among young people ages 15-24 years.
Syphilis is a notorious STD that can cause very serious health problems if it’s not treated. Syphilis is divided into stages (primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary). There are different signs and symptoms associated with each stage.
Syphilis can result from direct contact during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Tragically, it can be transmitted from an infected mother to her baby.
Hepatitis A, B, and C
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its functions can be affected. Heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions can cause hepatitis. However, hepatitis is often caused by a virus found in semen, vaginal fluids, and saliva.
In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.
Herpes simplex virus
Genital herpes is another common STD that any sexually active person can get. Most people with this virus don’t have symptoms. Even without signs of the disease, herpes can be passed on to sex partners.
Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis (or “trich”) is yet another very common STD. It’s caused by a protozoan parasite called trichomonas vaginalis. Although symptoms of the disease vary, most people who have the parasite remain unaware that they have been infected.
HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus)
Those who have an STD are more likely to get an HIV infection than someone who is STD-free. This is because the same behaviors and circumstances that enhance the risk of getting an STD also increase the risk of getting HIV. In addition, having a lesion from an STD can give the HIV virus easier access into your system.
Which STDs are curable?
Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, and Hepatitis C are all now curable. While Hepatitis B, genital herpes, HIV, and HPV are not currently curable, treatment protocols are readily available that effectively manage those conditions and minimize their effects. But diagnosis precedes treatment, and you can’t get diagnosed without testing. So don’t put it off.
There’s currently no cure for Hepatitis A, but it normally gets better on its own within a couple of months. It can be complicated by medications, alcohol, and certain drugs, so testing for this condition is also a very good idea.
Symptoms often shared by common STDs include:
Sores, bumps, or blisters on the genitals, oral, or rectal areas
Painful urination
Unusual vaginal discharge
Unusual vaginal bleeding
Pain during sexual intercourse
Sore or swollen lymph nodes
Itching, pain, irritation, or swelling in the vagina, vulva, or anus
These symptoms may appear shortly after acquiring the infection, or they may not appear for weeks, months, or even years. And most of these symptoms can also be caused by conditions that aren’t STDs. So testing is the only way to know what’s going on for sure.
When should you get tested for STDs?
When you consider having sexual activity, or when you turn twenty-one, whichever comes first
Before you start having sexual contact with a new partner
When you’re had unprotected sex or believe you might have been exposed to an STD from an infected person
And, of course, whenever any of the above health problems appear
How often should you get tested?
CDC guidelines don’t suggest blanket STD testing for those who are symptom-free. But the CDC does advise sexually active women under the age of twenty-five to undergo annual screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Women over twenty-five with a new sex partner, multiple sexual partners, or a partner with an STD are at high risk and should also undergo yearly chlamydia and gonorrhea screening.
All pregnant women should be tested for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B, chlamydia, and gonorrhea early in their pregnancies.
Everyone between the ages of 13 to 64 should be tested for HIV at least once.
Anyone who practices unsafe sex or shares injection drug equipment should get tested for HIV at least once a year.
How is STD testing obtained?
Testing for STDs can be quick, painless, and inexpensive. But such testing is not automatically included in a regular checkup or gynecological exam. So you have to ask for it.
If you don’t totally trust your health care provider, keep looking until you find one that merits your complete confidence.
When you have located a healthcare provider you can rely on, be totally candid, open, and honest with that person about your sex life. Then the two of you, as a team, can determine the best way to maintain your sexual health.
5 things to tell your healthcare provider about your sexual activity
Any symptoms you’re having,
If you or your partner has ever had a prior STD,
The number of people you have had sexual contact with,
Whether or not you have used protection for safe sex, and;
The nature of sex you have had (oral sex, anal sex, vaginal sex, etc.).
Again, don’t be embarrassed. You’re not going to shock your doctor. You’re not even going to impress her. Remember that she’s heard it all before, many, many times.
How does STD testing work?
The mechanics of most STD tests are relatively simple. You’ll undergo a physical exam; during which your doctor will check your genital area for symptoms.
Your doctor may then ask for a urine sample, do a blood test, or take a cheek swab.
If you have sores or a discharge, a sample will be taken for lab analysis.
A swab may be used to take samples from your genitals or other relevant areas.
Your healthcare provider may be able to tell immediately if you have an STD. But some tests take time to come back from a lab.
What happens if I have an STD?
Having an STD doesn’t have to be a big deal. You’re not alone. (Remember those other 20 million cases that will be diagnosed this year.) Most STDs are easily curable, and those that aren’t totally curable can be effectively managed.
People with STDs routinely have healthy and loving relationships, continue to have sex, and live totally normal lives. Most people get an STD at least once during their life, and millions are successfully living with STDs now. Remember that it’s just an infection, not an indictment.
About Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi
As one of the nation’s leading OB-GYNs, Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi offers the very best in gynecological and obstetric care. Together with her warm professional team, Dr. Aliabadi supports women through all phases of life. She fosters a special one-on-one relationship between patient and doctor.
We invite you to establish care with Dr. Aliabadi. Please click here to make an appointment or call us at (844) 863-6700.
The practice of Dr. Thais Aliabadi and the Outpatient Hysterectomy Center are conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and the Los Angeles area. We are near Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, and Downtown Los Angeles.
What Patients Say About Dr. Aliabadi…
Dr. Aliabadi is Consistently Voted Best OBGYN by her peers:
Please fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you shortly!
Appointment Request
Please fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you shortly!
* = required
"*" indicates required fields
Privacy Policy, Website Terms and Conditions of Use
The clinic of Dr. Aliabadi (hereafter referred to as the “Clinic”) is dedicated to improving the quality of medical and health information available on the world wide web. As a result, we pledge the following:
1. Authoritative
Any medical or health advice provided and hosted on this site will only be given by medically trained and qualified professionals unless a clear statement is made that a piece of advice offered is from a non-medically qualified individual or organization.
2. Complementary
The information provided on this site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her existing physician.
3. Privacy
Confidentiality of data relating to individual patients and visitors to a medical/health Web site, including their identity, is respected by this Web site. The Web site owners undertake to honor or exceed the legal requirements of medical/health information privacy that apply in the country and state where the Web site and mirror sites are located.
We use Google Analytics on our website to analyze the audience of the website and improve our content. No personal information is ever collected from Google Analytics. For further information on the privacy policy concerning Google Analytics, please go to: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en.
4. Attribution
Where appropriate, information contained on this site will be supported by clear references to source data and, where possible, have specific HTML links to that data. The date when a clinical page was last modified will be clearly displayed (e.g. at the bottom of the page).
The source of the medically related content are written by the doctors and medical staff of the Clinic. Authorship is attributed on the content page and all information is medically reviewed by the Clinic’s education team.
5. Justifiability
Any claims relating to the benefits/performance of a specific treatment, commercial product, or service will be supported by appropriate, balanced evidence in the manner outlined above.
Please note that there are no guarantees that every medical treatment or surgery will satisfactorily cure or repair every condition, for every person, every single time.
Regarding any before and after pictures displayed on our website, the following are true:
The person in the before picture and the after picture are the same.
The pictures were not digitally modified nor in any way enhanced.
Each surgery has unique results for each patient and no one can ever guarantee the same result for every person visiting our website.
The Clinic has the explicit consent of the patients to take their pictures and publish them on your website.
6. Transparency
The designers of this Website will always seek to provide information in the clearest possible manner and provide contact addresses for visitors who seek further information or support. The Webmaster’s e-mail address is webmaster@draliabadi.com.
7. Financial Disclosure No third-party commercial or non-commercial organizations have ever provided any economic support or services for this website. If that ever changes, it will be identified, including the identities of commercial and non-commercial organizations that have contributed funding, services, or material for the site.
8. Advertising policy
The Clinic does not accept any advertising from any company or individual and never has. If that ever changes, the source of funding will be stated and a brief description of our advertising policy adopted by the Web site owners will be displayed on the site. If advertising and/or other promotional material will ever be presented to website visitors, it will be in a manner and context that facilitates differentiation between it and the original material created by the institution operating the site.
Additional Web Site Terms and Conditions of Use
1. Terms
By accessing this website, you are agreeing to be bound by this website’s Terms and Conditions of Use, applicable laws and regulations, and their compliance. If you disagree with any of the stated terms and conditions, you are prohibited from using or accessing this site. The materials contained in this site are secured by relevant copyright and trademark law.
2. Use License
Permission is allowed to temporarily download one duplicate of the materials (data or programming) on the Clinic’s site for individual and non-business use only. This is just a permit of license and not an exchange of title, and under this permit, you may not:
modify or copy the materials;
use the materials for any commercial use or for any public presentation (business or non-business);
attempt to decompile or rebuild any product or material contained on the Clinic’s site;
remove any copyright or other restrictive documentation from the materials; or
transfer the materials to someone else or even “mirror” the materials on another server.
This permit might consequently be terminated if you disregard any of these confinements and may be ended by the Clinic whenever deemed. After permit termination or when your viewing permit is terminated, you must destroy any downloaded materials in your ownership whether in electronic or printed form.
3. Disclaimer The materials on the Clinic’s site are given “as is”. The Clinic makes no guarantees, communicated or suggested, and thus renounces and nullifies every single other warranty, including without impediment, inferred guarantees or states of merchantability, fitness for a specific reason, or non-encroachment of licensed property or other infringement of rights. Further, the Clinic does not warrant or make any representations concerning the precision, likely results, or unwavering quality of the utilization of the materials on its Internet site or generally identifying with such materials or on any destinations connected to this website
4. Constraints In no occasion should the Clinic or its suppliers be subject to any harm (counting, without constraint, harms for loss of information or benefit, or because of business interference) emerging out of the utilization or powerlessness to utilize the materials on the Clinic’s Internet webpage, regardless of the possibility that the Clinic or an approved agent has been told orally or in written of the likelihood of such harm. Since a few purviews don’t permit constraints on inferred guarantees, or impediments of obligation for weighty or coincidental harms, these confinements may not make a difference to you.
5. Amendments and Errata The materials showing up on the clinic’s site could incorporate typographical or photographic mistakes. The Clinic does not warrant that any of the materials on its site are exact, finished, or current. The Clinic may roll out improvements to the materials contained on its site whenever without notification. The Clinic does not, then again, make any dedication to update the materials.
6. Links The Clinic has not checked on the majority of the websites or links connected to its website and is not in charge of the substance of any such connected webpage. The incorporation of any connection does not infer support by the Clinic of the site. Utilization of any such connected site is at the user’s own risk.
7. Site Terms of Use Modifications The Clinic may update these terms of utilization for its website whenever without notification. By utilizing this site you are consenting to be bound by the then-current form of these Terms and Conditions of Use.
8. Governing Law Any case identifying with the Clinic’s site should be administered by the laws of the country of the United States of America and the General Terms and Conditions applicable to the Use of a Web Site.
Privacy Policy
Your privacy is critical to us. Likewise, we have built up this Policy with the end goal you should see how we gather, utilize, impart, and reveal and make utilization of individual data. The following blueprints our privacy policy.
Before or at the time of collecting personal information, we will identify the purposes for which information is being collected.
We will gather and utilize individual data singularly with the target of satisfying those reasons indicated by us and for other good purposes unless we get the assent of the individual concerned or as required by law.
We will just hold individual data for the length of essential for the satisfaction of those reasons.
We will gather individual data by legal and reasonable means and, where fitting, with the information or assent of the individual concerned.
Personal information ought to be important to the reasons for which it is to be utilized, and, to the degree essential for those reasons, ought to be exact, finished, and updated.
We will protect individual data by security shields against misfortune or burglary, and also against unapproved access, divulgence, duplicating, use, or alteration.
We will promptly provide customers with access to our policies and procedures for the administration of individual data.
We are focused on leading our business as per these standards with a specific end goal to guarantee that the privacy of individual data is secure and maintained.
Appointment Request
Please fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you shortly!
Please fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you shortly!
* = required
"*" indicates required fields
Review Policy
The clinic of Dr. Aliabadi is dedicated to transparently publishing customer feedback and reviews. This policy applies to reviews submitted by patients through first- and third-party review sites monitored on this platform. We reserve the right to remove posts, comments, or reviews that violate our content policies and/or are suspected to be fraudulent.
Open Payments Database Notice
For informational purposes only, a link to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments web page is provided here. The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires that detailed information about payment and other payments of value worth over ten dollars ($10) from manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, and biologics to physicians and teaching hospitals be made available to the public.
The Open Payments database is a federal tool used to search payments made by drug and device companies to physicians and teaching hospitals. It can be found at https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov.
About Good Faith Estimates
Dear Patient,
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, examinations, office visits prescription drugs, and equipment (items or services reasonably expected to be furnished by this practice).
Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least one (1) business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises. To speak to our billing department, please call (310) 652-5052.
Thank you.
Your friends at the clinic of Dr. Aliabadi
Scroll to Top
how long does it take stds to show up, std test kit, can someone have genital herpes without knowing, std exams, can urgent care treat std, home std test, how often should i get std tested, can dermatologist test for std, how long does it take for a std to show up in a woman, when to get tested for std, how much is an std test, letter from health department about std, leukocytes in urine meaning, testing for stds, free std testing near me, how soon after intercourse can you test for std, std hotline, at home std test, std check, how does std testing work, county std clinic, cabotegravir, how long to wait for std test after exposure, std from amp, how long after sex to get std test, how long does it take for stds to show up, std test, how many days to know if you have std, do primary care doctors do std testing, std home test kit, walk-in std testing las vegas, are std records public, how long does it take to get std test results, how does a std start, std testing near me, how are std tests done, where can you get std testing, blood tests for stds, how soon after a new partner should you get tested, how do you get tested for gonorrhea, how long does it take to realize you have an std, std testing las vegas, clean std results, when should i get tested for stds, labcorp service representative, how long does it take to get std results back, std testing, how long after sex can you test positive for std, when to get std tested, how soon should i get tested for std, how much does an std test cost, where to get std tested for free, herpes testing near me, does urgent care treat std, how much saliva is needed to transmit a std, how long does it take to get sti results back, how often should i get tested for stds, how do you check for std, how to test yourself for stds, how early can you test for std, sti testing, how long to stds take to show up, what is involved in a std test, how to know if you got stds, std time frame, how long do stds take to form, self test for std, how to get checked for std, a physical examination and blood tests are used to diagnose gonorrhea., how soon can you take std test, do urgent care do std testing, how is std tested, planned parenthood std testing cost without insurance, bump on bum cheek, same day std results, std time to show symptoms, gonorrhea sexually transmitted diseases pictures, does urgent care do std testing, std screening near me, how do std tests work, how to get tested for std, urine std test, std test cost no insurance, can urgent care test for stds, how long does it take to get std results, what di stds look like, how often should you get tested for std, how long do i have to wait to get tested for stds, std check anonymous, does medicare cover std testing, what is meant by std, best way to test for std, how much is std testing, how do you test for std, how often should you get tested for stds, minute clinic std testing, std testing salt lake city, what do std blood tests test for, sti testing albuquerque, do they have a cure for syphilis, how long to get std test results, how long does std test results take, how soon can i get tested for stds, what is a std test, 8 panel std test, what does a standard std test test for, do doctors automatically test for stds, how long to wait to test for sti, full std test, urgent care for std testing, sings of an std, 70 leukocytes in urine, are there at home tests for stds, std testing nyc, when can you test for syphilis, gonorrhoea, how do they test you for std, how long does it take to get an std, how many stds can be transmitted through saliva, can blood test detect std, how soon are stds detectable, tell your partner.org, how soon can you test for stds, how to get tested std, how do doctors test for stds, do they test for stds at urgent care, how to get tested for stds, how soon can you get tested for stds, anonymous herpes test, is herpes reported to the health department, std rates in mississippi, planned parenthood std screening, can urgent care test for herpes, how soon can you test for std, is stdcheck.com legitimate, how long does std, std, is gonorrhea reportable, how do you test for stds, test for std, how long does gonorrhea take to show in females, where to get sti testing, how long does it take to develop a std, in home std test, how long does results take for std, how long does it take to contract an std, how much is std medicine without insurance, at home std test instant results, std result, std test cost, how long to wait to get sti tested, std screening urgent care, how accurate are std tests, online std testing and treatment, safe lab std testing centre, how long to wait before getting sti test, std blood test, std exam, how long should you wait to get tested for stds, planned parenthood std tests, how long for std results, std screening, std home test free, how often to get std tested, diy std test, free std tests, std test at home, how do they test for stds, how to test for std after hysterectomy, what is std testing, when to test for stds, planned parenthood std testing, when to test for an std, how long does std results take, how long does it take for an sti to show up, std testing facilities near me, wegovy and swollen lymph nodes, can you test for stds with urine, do actors actually sing in movies, how soon can i take an std test, what is the std test, when should i check for stds, what stds does a swab test check for, scared to get std test, how long does it take for a std to show up on a test, how long does it take to notice a std, how often should you get std tested, sti home kits free, how long does it take to get std blood test results, what is an std test, how long after a sexual encounter should you get tested, std test at urgent care, std window period, how much does planned parenthood charge for std testing, are std tests covered by insurance, can you tell if you have stds, when to get tested for stds, how long after contracting an std is it detectable, fast results std testing near me, when to take std test after exposure, std testing at home, std clinic brooklyn, how long does it take to get tested for stds, fastest std to show up, how long does stds take to show up, how fast does std show up, std clinics near me, how long does it take for std testing to come back, home std test kit, how long does it take for urine std results, notify someone of std, what stds does a urine sample test for, std testing in new orleans, how long does std testing take to come back, std test time, who has herpes in hollywood, where to get tested for an std, std movie, what to test for std, questions about stds, std scan, rapid std test, can you go to urgent care for std testing, std at home test kit, sti test, do gynecologists automatically check for stds, std culture test, how long after sex to test for std, how long stds take to show up, std results same day, how to test for stds, how does a doctor test for std, how long should i wait to get a std test, how to test for sexually transmitted infection, at home std test accuracy, std test utah, when how reveal you have std, do hospitals automatically test for stds, what does vd look like, how hsv is transmitted, are std results public record, how do u test for stds, std test for, when should i get tested for an std, how long do stds take to show, cdc sti screening guidelines, std testing atlanta same day results, sexually transmitted diseases pictures, window period of stds, sings of std, std testing lakeland, do physicals test for stds, how soon after unprotected can i test for stds, can you get std results the same day, std test amazon, how often to test for stds, std testing walk in, std reporting website, how soon after sex can i get tested for std, what stds are tested in a standard test, how to test yourself for stds at home, home test for std walmart, how soon should you test for std, how long does it take to get std test results back, free std check, can urgent care treat stds, accurate std testing, how long does it take for std results to come back from hospital, how long does it take for std to show up, can you get a std without sex, symptoms of std after hysterectomy, is there a rapid test for stds, free std testing, regular std testing, std detection time, std self test, urgent care std testing, can you test for stds at home, std test kit at home, std clinic near me, how long do std tests take to get results, are stds hereditary, do doctors judge patients with stds, at home std tests, where can i take a std test, denver free std testing, how soon can you get tested for std, gc naat ur, how do you get tested for an std, do doctors call if std results are negative, does cvs do std testing, how long for std to show up, when should you get tested for stds, how long do stds take to show up, how long does it take an std to show up, when should i get an std test, sexually transmitted diseases time frame, how much are std tests, how long does it take for std blood work to come back, when to test for std, sti after hysterectomy