Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide, especially among young adults. If you’re sexually active, it’s important to understand how chlamydia testing works and why it matters for your health. Everything you need to know about chlamydia tests, from who should get tested to what the results mean, can be found below:
Chlamydia often doesn’t cause any symptoms, which means you could have it without knowing. That’s why regular testing is so important. If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to serious health problems, including infertility in both men and women.
Getting tested is quick, easy, and confidential. It’s one of the best things you can do to protect your sexual health and the health of your partners.
You should consider getting tested for chlamydia if:
You’re sexually active and under 25 years old
You have a new sexual partner
You have multiple sexual partners
You’re pregnant
Your partner has been diagnosed with an STI
You have symptoms of chlamydia
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends yearly chlamydia screening for all sexually active women under 25. For women 25 and older, yearly testing is recommended if you have risk factors like new or multiple partners.
For men who have sex with men, the CDC recommends annual testing, or more frequent testing if you have multiple or anonymous partners.
If chlamydia isn’t treated, it can cause serious health problems:
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
Infertility
Chronic pelvic pain
Ectopic pregnancy
Inflammation of the testicles and prostate
Infertility (rarely)
Plus, having chlamydia makes it easier to get or spread HIV.
There are two main ways to test for chlamydia:
This is the most common type of chlamydia test. You’ll pee in a cup, and the sample will be tested for chlamydia bacteria. It’s quick, easy, and painless.
For this test, a healthcare provider will use a cotton swab to collect a sample from the potentially infected area. This could be the cervix, vagina, urethra, rectum, or throat. Some clinics also offer self-swab tests for women.
If you’re doing a urine test, try not to pee for at least an hour before the test. This helps ensure there’s enough bacteria in your urine sample for an accurate result.
There’s not much else you need to do to prepare for a chlamydia test. You can eat and drink normally beforehand. If you’re having a swab test, you might want to avoid using any vaginal creams or douches for 24 hours before the test.
If your test comes back positive, it means you have chlamydia. Don’t panic – chlamydia is common and treatable. Your healthcare provider will prescribe antibiotics to clear the infection.
A negative result means no chlamydia bacteria were found in your sample. However, if you’ve recently had unprotected sex, you might want to get tested again in a few weeks. It can take up to two weeks for chlamydia to show up on a test after you’ve been exposed.
Remember, most people with chlamydia don’t have any symptoms. But if symptoms do occur, they can include:
Unusual vaginal discharge
Burning sensation when peeing
Pain during sex
Abdominal pain
Discharge from the penis
Burning sensation when peeing
Pain or swelling in the testicles
If you test positive for chlamydia, it’s crucial to:
Complete the full course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor
Avoid sexual activity for 7 days after starting treatment
Make sure your sexual partners from the last 60 days get tested and treated
It’s important to tell your recent sexual partners if you test positive for chlamydia. This can be awkward, but it’s necessary to prevent the spread of the infection and to ensure your partners get the treatment they need.
Some clinics offer partner notification services that can inform your partners anonymously.
Chlamydia is usually treated with antibiotics. The most common treatments are:
Azithromycin: A single dose
Doxycycline: Taken twice daily for 7 days
Your doctor will decide which treatment is best for you. It’s important to take all the medication as prescribed, even if you start feeling better before you finish it.
After you’ve completed treatment, you should get retested in about 3 months to make sure the infection is gone. This is because reinfection is common, especially if your partners weren’t treated.
To reduce your risk of getting chlamydia again:
Use condoms correctly every time you have sex
Limit your number of sexual partners
Get regular STI screenings
Make sure your partners get tested and treated if necessary
Remember, you can get chlamydia more than once, so it’s important to practice safe sex even after you’ve been treated.
Most chlamydia test results come back within a few days to a week. Some clinics offer rapid tests that can give results in about 20 minutes.
Yes, there are FDA-approved at-home chlamydia tests available. These typically involve collecting a urine sample or vaginal swab at home and mailing it to a lab for analysis.
Modern chlamydia tests are highly accurate. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), which are the most commonly used tests, are 95-98% accurate.
It’s best to wait at least 14 days after potential exposure before getting tested for chlamydia. Testing too early could result in a false negative.
No, chlamydia is not spread through kissing. It’s transmitted through sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex.
Getting tested for chlamydia is an important part of taking care of your sexual health. If you think you might have been exposed to chlamydia or if you’re due for a routine screening, don’t hesitate to reach out to your healthcare provider or local sexual health clinic. Remember, taking care of your sexual health is nothing to be ashamed of – it’s a responsible and important part of overall wellness.
Chlamydia Test: MedlinePlus Medical Test. (2024). https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/chlamydia-test/
Chlamydia trachomatis – Diagnosis and treatment – Mayo Clinic. (2024). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chlamydia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355355
Getting Tested for STIs | STI – CDC. (2025). https://www.cdc.gov/sti/testing/index.html
Chlamydial Infections – STI Treatment Guidelines – CDC. (2022). https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/chlamydia.htm
What does chlamydia infection mean for my health? (2017). https://chlamydiacoalition.org/chlamydia-101/what-does-chlamydia-infection-mean-for-my-health/
Chlamydia Tests – MyHealth Alberta. (2025). https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/tests-treatments/pages/conditions.aspx?Hwid=hw4046
Chlamydia Test: What to Expect, Treatments & More – Healthline. (2022). https://www.healthline.com/health/sexually-transmitted-diseases/chlamydia-test
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