Getting tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections is an important part of routine health care if you are sexually active.
Testing lets you know if you have HIV or another sexually transmitted infection (STI). Many STIs can be treated with antibiotics. Other benefits include:
Testing can give you peace of mind, it is the only way you can know for sure if you have HIV or an STD
Medications are available for HIV. They work better the sooner you take them. Medications are available to everyone who needs them in Washtenaw County. With good medical care, HIV can be controlled. Treatment for HIV is often called antiretroviral therapy or ART. It can dramatically prolong the lives of many people who are living with HIV and lower their chance of infecting others. See more at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's HIV 101 page.
Untreated STIs can cause infertility (inability to make a baby) in both men and women
Untreated human papillomavirus or HPV can cause genital warts and certain types of cancer
If you are pregnant, it is vital to get tested for HIV and STIs. If you should have HIV or an STD, there are medications that can help prevent your baby from becoming infected.
If there is a possibility that your partner has had sex with anyone besides you, you should get tested.
If you know you have HIV or an STI, you can protect your partner or partners from becoming infected by not having sex or by using a condom.
If you have HIV or an STI, you can help your partner get tested. If he or she tests positive, the sooner they get treated, the healthier they will be.