Do I need an STI test?

If you’ve had sex, you could have an STI – even if you don’t have symptoms. And STIs that don’t show symptoms can still cause serious harm. That’s why it’s important to get regular STI tests.

Untreated STIs can:

• damage your internal organs
• increase your risk of catching other STIs
• cause certain types of cancer
• make it harder for you to get pregnant, or get someone else pregnant, make pregnancy more dangerous – or harm your pēpi if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding

If you don’t know you have an STI, it’s also easier to pass it on to others.

Getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you have an STI. Testing means you find out sooner and can get treated faster. This helps you protect yourself, your whānau, and the people you have sexual contact with.

When you’re sexually active, it’s important to take care of your sexual health. There are lots of ways to do this – getting tested is one of them. Learn more about how to prevent STIs.

It’s a good idea to get tested:

• Every three months, if you have sexual contact with multiple people, or with one person who has sexual contact with others. (You don't need to test more than once every three months).
• Once a year, if you only have sexual contact with one person.
• Before sexual contact with a new person (if it's been more than three months since your last test).
• After sexual contact with a new person (if it's been more than three months since your last test) – but STIs don’t always show up on tests right away, so you may need to wait before testing. Find out about testing windows.
• If you think you’ve been exposed to an STI. If you've had sex with someone who has an STI, it's a good idea to talk to us (free phone 050 8438 8378 or start a webchat) to make sure you test at the right time. Sometimes treatment may be needed, even if your test is negative
• If you have symptoms. The best thing to do is make an appointment with your usual doctor or medical centre, or a sexual health clinic. You can't request a test through this website but you can find a provider near you.
• After unprotected sex. This could mean you had sex without a condom, or the condom broke or slipped off. Other forms of contraception (like an IUD or the pill) don’t protect against STIs. Remember you might need to wait before testing, because some infections can take time to show up.
• If you just want to check if you have an STI. If you don’t have symptoms, you can request a test from Get Tested NZ. If you do have symptoms, you need to see a doctor or a nurse in person. Find a provider near you.

Not sure when to test? Kōrero with a nurse – call us on 0508 GET TESTED or start a webchat.

STIs don’t always show up on tests right away. How long it takes depends on the STI. This means it can be helpful to wait after having unprotected sex before taking a test – unless you have symptoms.

If you have symptoms, you should make an appointment with your usual doctor or medical centre, or a sexual health clinic. Find a provider near you.

• It can take up to two weeks for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and trichomoniasis to show up on a test.
• It can take up to three months for HIV and syphilis to show up on a test. But if you test for HIV at a laboratory, it generally shows up within four to six weeks after you were exposed to it.

Not sure when to test? Kōrero with a nurse – call us on 0508 GET TESTED or start a webchat.