Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Being sexually active increases your risk of getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The more partners you have, the higher the risk of getting an STI.

If you are worried that you may have put yourself at risk of an STI after unprotected sex, it is easy and important to get tested. If you are aged 16 or over, you can now access more tests online.

It is important to test at the right time to be sure the result is accurate. If you test too early, the STI may not be detected as there is a ‘window period’ of time during which the infection needs to develop sufficiently to show up on a test. For example, the window period for chlamydia and gonorrhoea is two weeks, and the window period for syphilis and HIV is 1 month.

Remember - you or your partner may not have any symptoms, but could still pass an STI on to someone else.