Testing for STDs in Women

STDs in Women

The exact number of women infected with sexual transmitted diseases is difficult to determine because reporting is required only for cases of gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia. Data show that more women than men are infected with STDs. This information, however, could mean that more women than men seek out treatment. More than one-quarter of young women between the ages of 14 and 19 have contracted at least one STD, according to a 2008 study done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While not all STDs can be detected by testing, a significant number are identifiable and treatable.

Routine Testing

According to Dr. Mary Gallenberg of the Mayo Clinic, basic STD testing should include a Pap test and a routine gynecological examination. Pap smears collect cervical cells to test for the human papillomavirus. HPV makes up a group of more than 100 types of viruses that can affect a woman's genitalia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends yearly Pap tests for sexually active women, and more frequent testing if the female has multiple sex partners. Women between the ages of 30 and 69 should be tested every other year, if both partners are monogamous. The presence of HPV infection has been linked to the development of vulvar, anal and other genital cancers. The CDC reports that nearly 50 percent of males and females in the United States carry HPV infections at some time in their lives. Most symptoms disappear, but the virus is retained in the body.

Additional Tests

Not all STDs will present physical symptoms, especially in the early stages. The Mayo Clinic, CDC and the California Health Care Foundation recommend annual testing for HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis and syphilis, if the female is sexually active. The testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia is done with a urine or cervical swab test. Syphilis, HIV and hepatitis testing is typically done with a blood test. If the woman has reliable information that a partner has contracted HIV, a series of blood tests over time is required.

Emergency Testing

In addition to the tests listed above, the Mayo Clinic recommends immediate testing for women experiencing an unusual discharge (with or without a high fever), genital or anal warts, genital blisters or sores, or abdominal pain. Discharge with high fever is linked to pelvic inflammatory disease. If this infection is left untreated, it has a negative effect on female reproduction, including an inability to bear children, increased maternal and fetal infections during pregnancy and a higher level of infant mortality, according to the California Health Care Foundation.