Buy STI Tests for Women

Are you a woman looking to check in on your sexual health? Homed-IQ offers a variety of home sexual health tests for women. Using Homed-IQ, you can test yourself at home for the following STIs:

• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhoea
• Trichomoniasis
• Syphilis
• HIV
• Hepatitis B
• Herpes 1 & 2 
• High-risk HPV
• Mycoplasma Genitalium

Many of these tests are also available for men, with the exception of the HPV Test for Women. 

What are the symptoms of STIs in women?

STIs can cause a variety of symptoms in women. Some symptoms are seen in both men and women, but others are specific to women. These symptoms include:

• Vaginal discharge that is different than normal (for example, a change in color, smell, or texture)
• Bleeding after sex
• Bleeding between periods
• Pain the lower abdomen
• Wounds, warts or blisters on your labia and/or vagina

Note: STIs do not always cause noticeable symptoms. For example, many women do not experience any symptoms of chlamydia until the infection has gone untreated for an extended period of time.

When should women get an STI test?

If you recognise some or all of the above symptoms, it is wise to take an STI test. Additionally, your personal situation can determine when and how often it is advisable to take an STI test. If you often have sex with different people, it is recommended that you perform an STI test once every six months. In addition, it is advisable to take an STI test if you have had unprotected sex with someone, if you have had sex with someone who has informed you they have an STI, or if you want to have sex with a partner without a condom.

How do STI tests for women work?

Women’s STI tests usually involve taking a swab sample. On the product pages of Homed-IQ’s STI tests, you can indicate whether you are looking for a test for a woman or a man. For men, STI testing usually involves examining a small amount of urine. For women, a vaginal swab is performed. When checking for infections of the throat or anus, both men and women will perform a swab of the area they want to test.

STI Test: Swab Sample

Most STI tests in women are conducted using a vaginal swab sample. Homed-IQ’s STI Test Comprehensive (Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Trichomoniasis, Herpes 1 & 2, and Mycoplasma Genitalium), STI Complete Test (Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, and Trichomoniasis), Chlamydia Home Test, Basic-4 STI Test, Chlamydia & Gonorrhoea Test, and HPV Test for Women all require a vaginal swab. This is because testing for STIs using a urine sample is less reliable in women. During a vaginal swab, a sterile cotton swab is used to take a small amount of fluid from the vaginal wall. The fluid is then transferred to a sample collection tube which can be sent to a laboratory for analysis.

STI Test: Blood sample

Homed-IQ STI tests that require a blood sample are the STI Complete Test (Syphilis and HIV) and the Hepatitis B Test. This is because these STIs are only detectable through blood tests.

Tip: read our blog “How does an STI test work?“, for more detailed information about our testing procedure.