STI Testing After Unprotected Sex: When to Go

Having unprotected sex can leave you wondering whether you should get tested for a sexually transmitted infection (STI), especially if you do not know your partner's current STI status.

One of the biggest questions is when to get tested. Testing immediately may be appropriate in some circumstances, but certain infections may not be detectable right away. The right timing can depend on the type of exposure, the infection being tested for, the type of test used, and whether you have symptoms.

Understanding STI testing after unprotected sex can help you decide when to seek testing and when follow-up testing may be appropriate.

Should You Get Tested After Unprotected Sex?

If you have had sex without a condom or another barrier and there is a possibility of STI exposure, testing can be an important step.

You may want to consider testing if:

• You had sex with a new partner
• You do not know your partner's STI status
• A partner tells you they have an STI
• A condom broke or slipped
• You had sex without a barrier
• You or your partner have other sexual partners
• You develop symptoms that could be related to an STI

You do not need to wait until symptoms appear. Many STIs can cause no noticeable symptoms, so feeling well does not necessarily mean an infection is absent.

If you want to arrange testing, you can schedule STI and STD testing in Chicago and discuss the appropriate testing approach with a healthcare professional.

How Soon After Unprotected Sex Should You Get Tested?

There is no single waiting period that works for every STI.

Different infections can become detectable at different times, and the test used can also affect when testing is most useful.