Sexual & Reproductive Health

The New Orleans Health Department and CDC recommend STI testing as a routine part of health care. Scroll down for more information on what to expect during an STI test and additional resources!

Click here for STI Testing Locations in Orleans Parish 

What to expect during an STI test:

  • STI testing is quick, easy, and typically painless.

  • STI testing can be free or low-cost depending on testing location.  Medicaid and insurance also cover STI testing at many locations.

  • Some sites use rapid tests which will provide results within 20 minutes.  If rapid tests are not used, results will be available in 2-10 days.

  • Depending on the type of STI test, a health care provider will collect a sample of the following: blood, genital fluid, urine or saliva.

  • Some STI testing locations will also conduct a physical examination.

  • Depending on the STI testing site same day treatment may be available.

  • If an individual tests positive for an STI, a health care provider will share treatment options and can provide additional resources.

Helpful questions to ask before/during an STI testing appointment:

  • Do I need to make an appointment?

  • Which STIs is your site able to test for? (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, herpes, hepatitis c, HIV, HPV)

  • Do you accept Medicaid?

  • Are testing services free or offered sliding-scale?

  • Which insurance do you accept?

  • Do I need to be accompanied by a parent or caregiver if I’m a minor?  

  • Will my appointment and results be kept confidential?

  • How long will the appointment take?

  • When will my results be available?  How will I be notified?

  • Should I refrain from sex (oral, vaginal, anal) before receiving my results?

  • Will my partner(s) need to be tested?  How can I tell them?

Questions a health care provider may ask during an STI testing appointment.  While these questions may seem quite personal, they help ensure that the individual receives the right tests and medical support:

  • What brings you in today?  

  • Are you experiencing any symptoms?  If so, how long have you had symptoms?

  • Are you sexually active with men, women, or both?

  • Do you have oral, vaginal, or anal sex?

  • Do you have one sexual partner or multiple sexual partners?

  • Have you ever had sex with someone who has injected drugs?

  • How do you protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections?

  • Are you or your partner trying to get pregnant?

  • Are you or your partner using contraception/birth control?  Do you need any information about options?

  • Have you ever been forced or coerced to have sex against your will?

  • Have you or a partner ever tested positive for a sexually transmitted infection?  If yes, which infections?

  • In the last year, how many sexual partners have you had?

 

Additional Resources: