Is STD testing before trying to conceive safe?

What does the evidence say about STD testing before trying to conceive while trying to conceive?

1. Screening for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C, based on age and risk factors, is a standard part of a preconception counseling visit, with any infection found addressed before conception. 1
2. Once pregnancy begins, guidance calls for chlamydia and gonorrhea screening in women under 25 or with risk factors, a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit with a repeat in the third trimester, and a hepatitis B test at that same first visit regardless of any earlier result. 2
3. Gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, and HIV can make it harder to conceive and can be passed to a baby, though the chance of passing HIV to a baby during pregnancy or delivery stays under 2% with the right medication. 3
4. For HIV specifically, most people test positive within about three weeks of exposure on a fourth-generation test, but a test taken more than three months after the last possible exposure is considered conclusive, which is why repeat testing around 4 to 6 weeks and again at 12 weeks is standard after a known exposure. 4
5. Beyond fertility, an infection that goes unaddressed can contribute to preterm labor, low birth weight, and a newborn infection, which is why standard prenatal care repeats STI screening at the first visit and again in the third trimester rather than relying on one preconception test alone. 5

What to know about STD testing before trying to conceive while trying to conceive

• Before you start trying, this is a good time to add STD testing to a preconception visit, since results take a few days and, if anything is found, you'll want time to address it before you conceive.
• If you're already trying and haven't been tested, or you or a partner have had a new exposure since your last test, ask your provider about testing now rather than assuming an earlier negative result still holds.
• If you conceive before getting tested, screening doesn't stop there: standard prenatal care repeats it at your first visit, with a syphilis retest in the third trimester, so anything missed beforehand still gets caught.