Let’s be honest, we all enjoy a rumble in the sack. Sex is one of the great pleasures of life, but after a few tipples, we can leave our health compromised when we don’t take the proper precautions. This week we’re looking at taking an MOT on your sexual health. A sexually transmitted infection (STI) may be uncomfortable to talk about, but living with the side-effects can put your love life under lockdown. Treatment at a STI clinic is confidential and non-judgmental. Most treatments are simple and painless and you do not have to be admitted to hospital. It’s understandable you may feel embarrassed, but staff trained in the clinics are friendly and there to help provide a confidential, safe service. The quick low-down on an STI screening: Some STIs have no symptoms, and if left untreated can cause infertility in both sexes. It is advisable to have an STI test once every six months when you are sexually active. An STI screening will last roughly 30 minutes, and usually include a physical exam, samples of fluids being taken and a blood test. If you are pregnant but believe you are at risk of having contracted an STI, consult a doctor immediately. So what can we expect from an STI screening? The Irish Family Planning Association has drafted a step-by-step guide of what to expect when you attend an STI screening. If at any stage during a screening you are feeling uncomfortable, be sure to talk to your health practitioner, who can talk through the treatment or help put fears at ease. Here is a quick rundown of what to expect at a typical STI screening:

• The doctor or nurse will ask for personal details such as your name, age and address. Your preferred mode of contact for receiving results should be made clear.
• You will be asked to give details of you sexual history in the form of a sexual health questionnaire. This will include questions about the number of recent partners you have had, whether you have sex with men or women, whether you have had sex with a partner from a high-risk country, sex with someone known to have an STI or a sex worker.
• The nurse or doctor will assess your risk of blood-borne infections by asking about your history of intravenous-drug use, any history of sexual activity with an intravenous-drug user or blood transfusions.
• An assessment of the presence and nature of symptoms will also take place.
• A physical examination will be undertaken to check for the presence of warts, ulcers or other genital, anal or oral lesions.
• The doctor or nurse will also take a blood sample to test for HIV, hepatitis B and C and syphilis.
• A urine test will screen for Chlamydia and gonorrhoea. It is important to note that you should avoid passing urine 90 minutes before hand to ensure the test is accurate. In some cases urine testing is not done as a swab is taken from the cervix (neck of the womb).
• Swabs are also taken from the cervix and vagina. They may also be taken from the anus, mouth and any ulcers of open sores.
• Treatment may be offered during the screening session in some cases, for example in the case of painful herpes or when a partner has tested positive for an STI.
• In some cases referral may be required to a GUIDE clinic or a gynaecologist.

For more information on sexual health, book an appointment with your doctor. Alternatively, read up on the treatment of STIs here on the Irish Family Planning Association website.