Sexual health check-ups

A sexual health examination may involve:

• Examination of the genital area

• Swabs from the throat, penis, vagina or anus

• A blood test

• A urine sample

Sexual health examination:

Some sexually transmissible infections (STIs) are diagnosed by their appearance:

• The doctor will ask you to undress from the waist down and lie on a professionally designed couch
• Genital examinations and testing is mostly painless
• Some swab tests may cause minor, temporary discomfort
• In some cases, the throat or anus may be examined and tested for STIs

Blood tests:

Some STIs are diagnosed by a blood test:

• The doctor may offer blood tests, even if you are low risk for blood borne STIs

• Anyone requesting a blood test for HIV will undergo brief counselling before having a blood sample collected and again before receiving the test results.  This is to ensure people understand safe sex, how HIV is passed on and the testing procedure

Urine sample:

Some STIs are diagnosed through a urine sample:

• You will be given a plastic container and asked to provide a urine sample that contains the first stream (when you start to urinate)

• The sample is sent to a laboratory to be tested and the GP will advise you of when your results will be available

HIV testing

An HIV test is a blood test that looks for the presence of HIV antibodies.  HIV antibodies are what your body naturally produces as a response to having the virus.

A small sample of your blood is sent to a laboratory to be examined and the results will be:

• HIV antibodies not detected (HIV negative)

• HIV antibodies detected (HIV positive)

• Indeterminate (additional testing required)

It may take your body up to12 weeks after being infected with HIV to produce HIV antibodies (although most people have produced HIV antibodies within 6 weeks).

This 12 week period is called the “HIV window period” and it means that when you receive a negative HIV test result you did not have HIV 12 weeks before your blood was tested.

If you have shared injecting equipment or have had vaginal or anal sex without a condom during those 12 weeks, you will need to go back and get another test 12 weeks after the last time you put yourself at risk of contracting HIV to make completely sure you are HIV negative.

You will receive your results 1-2 weeks after you have the test.  By law the results need to be given to you in person, so you’ll need to make a second appointment in order to get your HIV test results.

Getting tested

The Melbourne Sexual Health Centre

The Melbourne Sexual Health Centre offers free testing for HIV and all other sexually transmissible infections (STI). 

Because the staff specialise in sexual health, they are easy to talk to.

Address: 580 Swanston St, Carlton

Phone:  61 3  9341 6200 or 1800 032 017 (regional callers)

www.mshc.org.au

 

Family Planning Victoria

Primary Needle and Syringe Programs

Primary Needle and Syringe Programs (NSPs) offer free medical services (including HIV and STI testing) to people who inject drugs.

Phone Directline on 1800 888 236 to find out your closest Primary NSP.

www.turningpoint.org.au

Latest information

For the latest information about HIV or to find a services near you call the
HIV & Sexual Health Connect Line on 1800 038 125