What to Bring to an STI Test

Most of what makes an STI test go smoothly happens before you walk in. A few minutes of prep means you leave with the tests you wanted and a result you can use.

Here is what is worth bringing, and what is worth asking.

Bring your last result and its date

If you have been tested before, bring that result, or at least the date and what it covered. It shows your provider what was already checked and what was not. It also answers the question you will probably hear first: when were you last tested?

A result is a snapshot of one day, so the date matters as much as the answer. Our post on what the date on a result tells you explains why.

Bring a few notes on your history

CDC says your provider may ask about your sexual activity, your partners, and the protection you use, and it advises an open and honest conversation about all of it. You do not need a script. A few notes on your phone are enough: new partners since your last test, the kinds of sex you have had, and what protection you use.

Bring your questions

CDC points out that not all medical checkups include STI testing, so do not assume you were tested. Ask which infections the panel covers. If you have had oral or anal sex, ask about throat and rectal testing. Ask whether vaccines such as hepatitis B or HPV are right for you.

Then ask how and when your results will reach you. A rapid HIV test can have an answer in about 20 minutes, while a sample sent to a lab can take a few days.

Know what the test involves

Depending on what you are tested for, a sample can be blood, urine, or a swab from the vagina, throat, or rectum. Many STIs have no symptoms, so getting tested without any is normal.

If you would rather not have this conversation with your regular doctor, CDC notes that confidential, free, and low-cost clinics are available.

Check how your results will reach you

Before you go, ask whether results come through a patient portal. Then open the Health app on your iPhone, find Health Records, and search for your provider or health system.

If they are listed, your results can land in Apple Health, and Protecht can show them with your provider’s verification instead of a screenshot. Not every provider connects, and not every test appears. If yours does not, you still get your results as usual, and you can share them another way.

Showing up is the main thing

You do not need to bring everything on this list. Even a test with no prep beats no test. But a date, a few notes, and a short list of questions turn a quick visit into a useful one, and a result you can show is worth more than one you can only describe. Bring receipts.

Sources

• Getting Tested for STIs, CDC
• Talk. Test. Treat.: Individuals, CDC STI Awareness Week
• STI Testing: Conversation Starters, MyHealthfinder, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (reviewed by CDC Division of STD Prevention)