Question 1

What are the symptoms of HIV in women?

Accepted Answer

Many women who contract HIV will experience flu-like symptoms during the first few weeks of their infection. These can include fever, sore throat, body rash, and joint or muscle pain, signaling that the immune system has recognised a problem and is resisting a new infection.

Of course, these symptoms regularly occur in women who do not have HIV, so the only way to be certain of your status is to get yourself tested.

In the first few weeks following infection, the most common symptoms are flu or cold-like symptoms including:

Sore throat
Runny nose
Feeling tired
Fever
Joint or Muscle pain

Over time you may start to notice that it takes you longer to recover from infections as your immune system takes longer to respond.

Question 2

What are Ureaplasma symptoms in women?

Accepted Answer

Most women with Ureaplasma do not have any symptoms. However, the longer the infection goes untreated, the more likely you are to experience symptoms. These can include:

Irritation in the genital area
Unusual discharge
Pain upon urination
Pain during sex
Redness or inflammation around the site of infection

To book your Ureaplasma test, please click on Get Started above.

Question 3

How is Chlamydia tested for in women?

Accepted Answer

Chlamydia testing with Better2Know is quick, painless and stress-free. Our comprehensive Chlamydia test requires a swab or urine sample, and can be taken individually or combined with other STI tests as part of a screen.

You can have a Chlamydia infection in different parts of your body depending on how you got it. If you have had vaginal intercourse then you should have a urine test or a vaginal swab. This test will not detect a Chlamydia infection in your mouth. So if you have given oral sex then you should have a throat swab. Similarly, if you have received anal sex you should have an anal swab.

To book your test please click on Get Started above. You will be able to filter the tests and screens to show those that include Chlamydia.

If you choose a swab test, you will be given instructions, but asked to collect your own swab. This makes the test more discreet and comfortable for you.

Question 4

What are the common HPV symptoms in women?

Accepted Answer

HPV or the Human Papilloma Virus, is one of the world’s most common viral STIs. There are over 100 strains of the virus and around 40 of them can be sexually transmitted. Some are particularly high risk for developing cancer, while others are low risk but can be responsible for Genital Warts.

Genital Warts in women most often occur around the labia (the entrance to the vagina) but can occur anywhere that you have had skin-to-skin contact with a wart. They can be hard red bumps and grow to resemble cauliflower. Genital Warts are unsightly, but they can be frozen off. They are also usually caused by a Low Risk strain of HPV.

High Risk HPVs are high risk for causing cancer, particularly cervical cancer in women. A cervical HPV test is recommended every 3 to 5 years for all women or people with a vagina.

Most people with HPV will not have any symptoms, so the only way to know if you have HPV is to get tested. The low risk HPVs can cause Genital Warts.

Question 5

Can women get Genital Warts?

Accepted Answer

Women can get Genital Warts. Warts are often small red or pink growths which measure a few millimetres across though, in extreme circumstances, they can grow up to 10cm wide. They can be flat or bumpy, resembling small raspberries or cauliflowers in appearance.

Genital warts can be treated with cryotherapy, creams, and other medications. Some warts may require more than one treatment session.

Genital Warts are a Low-Risk strain of the HPV virus. So although the warts are unsightly they do not mean you are at High Risk of developing cancer from this infection.

Question 6

Can Lesbian and Bisexual women get an STI?

Accepted Answer

Lesbian women are at a low risk of getting an STI from sex with another woman. Some bacterial infections can be passed on through female-only sex, and it is important to check your cervical health regularly to prevent cervical cancer with an HPV test.

Some bacterial infections occur naturally in women and these can be passed on to a partner during sex.

Bisexual women are of a higher risk as statistically men have more partners than women and are therefore more likely to have an STI.

Better2Know's medical team have designed three screens specifically for Lesbian and Bisexual women:

Comfort Screen
Comprehensive Screen
Confirm Screen

These all look for the most common STIs passed on between women. The Comprehensive and Confirm screens also test for any bacterial infections in your vagina, and in the Confirm Screen, we include an HPV test.

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