Published June 18, 2020 by Ichor Blood Services

Not sure what STD testing entails and who should get it done? By lifting the uncertainly surrounding STD testing it's our hope we can lessen the stigma surrounding these tests and encourage more people to be proactive when it comes to their sexual health. Here's what happens during an STD test and who should likely have one conducted. 


Due to the growing demand for our corporate or large bookings and travel testing for COVID-19 antibody or active PCR test collection, our SDT / STI Testing Services are on hold. 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), commonly called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), can lead to serious health problems if left untreated. Some examples include: 

  • Damage to organs
  • Cancer
  • Infertility
  • Vision loss

Two years ago Alberta saw an outbreak of syphilis after rates of the infectious disease reached levels not seen in the province since 1948. Public health officials urged people to get tested and attempted to bring awareness to the importance of sexual health, while reducing the stigma that surrounds the topic. As an extension of those efforts, we're hoping to help people feel more comfortable with the STD testing process by demystifying what it entails and shedding further light on who should be getting tested. 
 

Ichor has you covered

If you're looking for COVID-19 antibody testing in Calgary, Ichor Blood Services has you covered. We've recently begun accepting bookings for our COVID-19 serology antibody testing collection service, which will allow you to have your blood collected in the comfort and safety of your own home. Your sample is then shipped to our laboratory testing partner, who will determine if you have potentially been exposed to the virus and now have the antibodies for it. For more information on our COVID-19 serology antibody testing collection service, click the button below. 

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Who should be tested for STDs/STIs? 

Generally speaking, anyone who is sexually active should be tested for STIs or STDs on a regular basis. That being said, those who fall into the below categories are at higher risk of contracting an STI and should get tested more often: 

  • People under the age of 25 who are sexually active
  • People who have had more than one sexual partner in the past year
  • People who have had unprotected sex in geographic locations where specific STDs are more prevalent

It's always important to check with your health care provider to see if there have been any spikes or outbreaks of specific STIs in the area you live. In the case of the recent syphilis outbreak in Alberta, every health zone saw a sharp increase in the prevalence of the infectious disease except for Calgary. While that doesn't mean people in Calgary should be complacent about STI testing, it does mean that those who live in the areas where the outbreaks occurred should be more vigilant about getting tested after having sex with a new partner and use a condom when engaging in sexual activities.  

 

What happens during an STD/STI test? 

STI testing has come a long way over the past few years. For most STI tests you can expect them to be very similar to the other type of blood or urine tests you've had samples collected for in the past. These relatively painless tests usually take no longer than 15 minutes and are extremely simple and straightforward. For a blood test, the technician will perform a venipuncture and draw the required amount of blood necessary to complete the specific STI test you're having completed. For a urine test, you will simply pee into a cup. 
 

What type of STIs can Ichor collect test samples for? 

Ichor can collect samples for the following STIs: 

  • Chlamydia
  • Herpes
  • Gonorrhea
  • Hepatitis B
  • Trichomoniasis
  • Syphilis
  • HIV

Because we only collect blood or urine samples as part of our collection service, we cannot facilitate the collection of samples for any other STIs not mentioned above. 

Contact us

Ichor is offering corporate or large group bookings or travel testing for COVID-19 antibody or active PCR test collection, see the cities we serve. For more information about our COVID-19 testing services, please give us a call at 1-844-424-6728 or fill out or contact form

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