Sexual Health FAQs
Chlamydia Testing
If I get tested will I ever need to have another test?
Will my GP be told I have taken the test?
Who will find out i've had a test?
What if my result is positive?
Do I have to pay for the test or treatment?
Can I get a test if I am under 16?
If I get tested will I ever need to have another test?
If you are sexually active, you should be tested for chlamydia every 6-12 months, or when you change your sexual partner.
Will my GP be told I have taken the test?
Your GP will only be contacted if you have given permission. How do I know if I have chlamydia?
Will the test hurt?
The test is simple and painless and totally voluntary. You can take the test yourself and you do not need to be examined.
The test: for males you will be asked to give a urine sample, for females, a swab is required from the lower vagina.
Who will find out I've had a test?
No one will be told you've had a test but your GP may be contacted if you need treatment and we can't get in touch with you. But only if you have given permission for this to happen.
How will I get my results?
You can choose to get your results by SMS text, phone call or letter. You should be contacted within two weeks following the test. If you are worried and haven't received your results, please call: 01206 363003.
What if my result is positive?
If your test shows that you have chlamydia you will be given FREE antibiotic tablets to treat it.
How do I get a test if I am over 25?
The National Screening Programme is specifically designed for people under 25. If you are over 25 and worried about chlamydia your GP or your local sexual health clinic will be able to arrange for a test.
Can I get a test if I am under 16?
If you are under 16 you can still take a chlamydia test but you may get a call from a health professional to ensure everything is ok with you.
You will need to think about who you need to tell if you have a positive test…
The people you have recently had unprotected sex with will also need treatment and/or a test to stop them having problems in the future, or passing on the infection. We can help you to contact your partners if you do not want to do so. This is completely confidential and we do not mention your name.
You need to alert your health professional if you think you could be pregnant, as you may need to have different antibiotics.
Remember: antibiotics can stop the contraceptive pill from working!
Do I have to pay for the test or treatment?
No. The test and treatment are free.
Chlamydia
How do I know if I have Chlamydia
What happens if I don't get treated?
What happens if I get Chlamydia when I'm pregnant?
How would I know who has given me Chlamydia?
How do I protect myself from Chlamydia?
What if I have tested positive for Chlamydia and have just had a baby?
How do I know if I have chlamydia?
80% of women and 50% of men do not have any symptoms, which is why it is important to be screened. However, if you have symptoms, make an appointment at your local sexual health clinic, or call the Frisky or Risky Team for more information and advice on: 01206 363003.
Symptoms in Women:
• A vaginal discharge that is different to your usual discharge.
• The need to pass urine more often.
• Pain in the lower abdomen (low tummy pain).
• Bleeding between periods or bleeding after sex.
Symptoms in men:
• A discharge from the tip of the penis.
• Pain and/or burning when passing urine.
• Irritation at the tip of the penis.
• Painful swelling of the testicles.
What happens if I don't get treated?
Without proper treatment the infection can spread to other parts of the body causing damage and serious long-term complications.
Women:
Chlamydia can spread to other reproductive organs, causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This can lead to lower tummy pain, blocked fallopian tubes, infertility and ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy that occurs outside the womb).
Men:
Chlamydia can lead to a painful infection in the testicles and possibly reduced fertility. It is thought that in some men it might cause the prostate to become inflamed. It can also cause inflammation or swelling of joints.
What happens if I get chlamydia when I'm pregnant?
Chlamydia may be linked to early miscarriage or premature birth of the baby. It can be passed to the baby during the birth and (less commonly) before the baby is born. This can cause inflammation and discharge from the baby's eye (conjunctivitis) and pneumonia.
Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics when you are pregnant and when you are breastfeeding, but do tell the doctor or nurse that you’re pregnant. This may affect the type of antibiotic you're given. The antibiotics won't harm the baby
How would I know who has given me chlamydia?
You might not know whether you have caught it from your current or a previous sexual partner. These doubts can be hard to handle. Some people feel upset or angry when they have an STI and find it difficult to talk to their partner or friends. Don't be afraid to talk about how you feel with the staff at the clinic.
How do I protect myself from chlamydia?
Use condoms every time you have sex. This will reduce the risks of getting or passing on chlamydia and other STIs, including HIV. Each time you have a new sexual partner, both of you should get a chlamydia test. Have a chlamydia test every year.
If you do have chlamydia, take all the tablets you are given. Do not have any sex (oral, vaginal, anal or use sex toys) with partners until they have also been treated.
What if I have tested positive for chlamydia and have just had a baby?
If you’ve tested positive for chlamydia and you’ve recently had a baby via normal delivery, the baby may have been exposed to the infection. However most babies don’t develop problems and don’t need any treatment.
Sex and Pregnancy
How will I know if I am ready to have sex?
Can I get pregnant if I give oral sex?
Should I have sex with my boyfriend/girlfriend if I love him/her?
What is the age of consent?
The age of consent is the age at which you are legally able to consent to having sex. You must be this age in order to have sex. The law says that the age of consent for straight and gay men and women is 16 in England, Wales and Scotland, and 17 in Northern Ireland.
How will I know if I am ready to become sexual?
Being sexually active can involve just kissing, touching, holding and feeling, but sexual intercourse is different. You may feel ready for some sexual acts but not sexual intercourse, which involves a lot more body contact! The main things you have to remember are: a) make sure you feel ready, b) don’t be pressurised by anyone into doing something you don’t want to do and c) it is illegal to have sexual intercourse under the age of 16.
What is sexual intercourse?
Sexual intercourse is penetrative sex. Any sort of sexual activity involving insertion: oral, anal or vaginal. Here's how vaginal sex works - vaginal intercourse involves a man placing his hard penis (erection) in a woman’s vagina and moving it in and out, to give a pleasurable feeling.
Intercourse can result in the couple experiencing orgasms (an intense moment of pleasure) and when the man orgasms he ‘cums’ or ejaculates semen fluid containing sperm (cum) into the woman’s vagina. If a man ejaculates without a condom on to catch the sperm, this can result in the woman getting pregnant or catching a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Can I get pregnant if I give oral sex?
Oral sex is when you stimulate your partner’s genitals with your mouth, lips or tongue. This could involve sucking or licking their penis, vagina and clitoris or anus. If your male partner ejaculates (cums) in your mouth, you won’t get pregnant, as long as the sperm doesn’t go anywhere near your vagina. However, you can get HIV and other STIs via oral sex, so try and use a condom or oral dam to protect yourself, there are some nice flavoured ones to try.
Does sexual intercourse hurt?
Having sex shouldn’t hurt if you are relaxed and feel ready for it. The time before intercourse is foreplay, when a couple kiss and touch each other to get excited and lubricated enough for sex. Foreplay is an important and really pleasurable part of sex, it helps to lubricate the vagina for a woman and make the penis erect (hard) for a man.
Some women find it easier to have an orgasm during foreplay, especially if her partner rubs or licks her clitoris. The man needs to make sure the woman is ready before he tries to put his penis inside her vagina, otherwise it may hurt. Always use a condom to prevent pregnancy and infection. Condoms also help with lubrication and inserting the penis.
Sex can be painful for medical reasons, so if it hurts even though you are comfortable and ready, you might need to talk to your doctor. Sex can also hurt the first time, when the hymen gets broken. This is a thin layer of skin at the opening of the vagina, but this may be broken already by tampons or riding a bicycle. Sex can tear it, which causes a bit of bleeding and pain.
Should I have sex with my boyfriend/girlfriend if I love him/her?
You should never feel you have to do anything, especially if your partner loves you. They will care about your feelings and understand if you are not ready or don’t want to do it. Sex can be fun but it also means you have to be very responsible and protect yourself from disease and possible pregnancy.
If you are over 16 and you feel comfortable with having sex, then you are probably ready, but you may be happy with just kissing and touching and other forms of sexual activity. There is no hurry - it is better to wait and really enjoy the experience with someone you care about. You must both feel happy about it.
Is masturbation normal?
Masturbation involves stimulating your own penis or vagina and clitoris to get pleasure, by stroking or touching. Masturbation is normal and lots of people do it. Some people masturbate several times a day. Some less than once a week. It always depends on how you feel and what you want. You may feel you don’t want to do it.
HPV Vaccination
I’ve heard you get a sore, swollen arm for a long time after the vaccination. Is that true?
The soreness and swelling you may get in your arm can last for a few hours, to a couple of days.
I missed my vaccination, can I still have it?
Yes. If you missed any of your vaccinations, for whatever reason, you should speak to your nurse or doctor about making another appointment. It’s best to make your appointment as soon as possible after your original one. The most important thing is to have all doses – it’s never too late to catch up.
Now I’ve had the injections, will I still need to go for smear tests?
Yes. All women should go for smear tests (cervical screening) as soon as they are old enough (25 and over in England). The vaccine protects against 70% of the human papillomavirus types that cause cervical cancer, so you still have to be screened to try to pick up cervical abnormalities caused by other HPV types that could lead to cancer.
Should girls who have already had sex bother with the vaccination?
Definitely. If you’ve had sex, and are in the relevant age group, you should still have the vaccine.
