Question: What could happen if I don't get tested for STDs?
Sometimes it's difficult to motivate people to get tested for STDs. A lot of people think that they would know if they needed to get tested for STDs, but that's a dangerous misconception. STDs are often asymptomatic, which makes it hard to know if you are infected. It may also make people think that STDs are only a minor inconvenience or nothing to worry about. However, it's important for people who are sexually active to regularly get tested for STDs. Not doing so can lead to serious long-term consequences.
Answer: Some possible consequences of choosing not to get tested for STDs include:
- Becoming Infertile
If left untreated, normally curable diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and bacterial vaginosis can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease in women and infertility in both women and men. These STDs are incredibly common, which is why it is recommended that sexually active individuals get tested for them on a regular basis. - Increasing Your Risk of HIV
Infection with various STDS, particularly the genital ulcer diseases such as herpes and syphilis, can increase your susceptibility to HIV infection. These infections may either make it easier for HIV to get into your body or make it more likely that you will be infected if you are exposed. - Infecting a Partner
Although it would be nice to believe that everyone always practices safe sex, people who know they are infected with an STD may be more cautious. Alternatively, people with asymptomatic infections who do not know they are infected may assume that they don't have to practice safe sex because they are safe. Giving a partner an STD can feel pretty awful, particularly if it could have been prevented by choosing to get tested for STDs before starting your sexual relationship. That's why you should always discuss safe sex, risk factors, and screening history before you have sex. - Damaging a Future Relationship
If your partner finds out that they are infected with an STD, which they got from you, it can often lead to blame - justifiable or not. However, if you both regularly get screened for STDs, and discuss your results, it is a lot easier to make informed decisions about risk. Doing so means that any seroconversion is much less likely to lead to resentment or blame -- since you both will have gone into the relationship with eyes open. - Severe, Systemic Health Problems
Left undiscovered, and untreated, many different STDs have the potential to lead to more severe health problems. Fortunately, these problems are often avoidable with prompt treatment. However, you can't get treatment until you get tested. - Endangering a Pregnancy
There are numerous STDs which can potentially cause serious problems with pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, syphilis and herpes infections can be potentially fatal in a newborn. Although the danger can be reduced with prompt treatment, that requires you to get tested so that the doctor to knows your child is at risk.
