New testing policy: Why we no longer test for chlamydia as standard

At SoaStudentArts we like to keep you informed about the latest developments in the world of sexual health. There is an important change that we want to inform you about: the testing and treatment policy for chlamydia has been adjusted. In this blog we explain why this has changed and what this means for you.

What has changed?

Until now, the advice was: “Have you had unprotected sex? Get tested for chlamydia.” This advice applied to everyone, even if you had no symptoms.

The new advice is:

  • Only get tested for chlamydia if you have symptoms
  • Or if your current sexual partner has chlamydia and is experiencing symptoms
  • In all other cases: testing for chlamydia (and treating chlamydia) is not more needed

For other STDs such as gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV, the testing advice remains the same.

Why this change?

Scientific research has provided new insights into chlamydia. We share the 5 most important reasons why large-scale testing is no longer necessary:

1. Chlamydia usually goes away on its own

Most chlamydia infections do not cause any symptoms and go away on their own, without treatment. Your body clears the infection itself. In about half of the people, chlamydia disappears on its own after 1 year. After 2 years, almost everyone is free of it on its own, without lasting effects.

2. No effect on fertility without complaints

Many people worry that chlamydia can lead to reduced fertility, especially in women. New research shows that women with and without previous chlamydia have an equal chance of becoming pregnant. With asymptomatic chlamydia (without symptoms), the chance of reduced fertility is practically zero.

3. Large-scale testing has no effect on the spread

Years of research shows that large-scale testing and treatment for chlamydia has no effect on how often chlamydia occurs in our society.

4. Less unnecessary use of antibiotics

Antibiotics are valuable but must be used wisely. Using too many antibiotics can lead to resistance, which means that medicines work less well when they are really needed. Antibiotics also kill good bacteria in your body. These bacteria are important for your health.

5. Focus on real complaints

The new policy focuses on treating people who are truly affected by chlamydia, rather than detecting all infections. The disadvantages of overdiagnosis and overtreatment do not outweigh the advantages.

When do you test for chlamydia?

If you have any complaints

Think about:

  • Pain or burning sensation when urinating
  • Unusual separation
  • Pain in your lower abdomen
  • Pain or swelling of the scrotum (in people with a penis)

Symptoms usually develop 1 to 3 weeks after sex with someone who has chlamydia.

If your current partner has chlamydia and symptoms

Do you have a steady partner who has chlamydia with symptoms? Then it is wise to get tested, even if you yourself have no symptoms. This prevents you from passing the infection on to each other ('ping-ponging').

Who should you inform?

Do you have chlamydia and symptoms? Then you only inform your current sex partner(s). These are partners with whom you still have sex or will have sex in the future. You no longer need to inform sex partners from the past.

Was the sexual contact with your current partner less than 2 weeks ago? Then you can consider treating this partner immediately. Was it longer ago? Then you wait for the test result and do not have sex until then.

Benefits of the new policy

In addition to the points we mentioned above, such as unhealthy antibiotic use and no unnecessary worries about fertility, this change has several advantages:

  • Less stigma and shame surrounding STDs
  • Less stress about informing (ex-)partners
  • Antibiotics remain available for those who really need them
  • People are not unnecessarily burdened with testing and treatments
  • Resources for STD care are used more meaningfully

Does this mean chlamydia is not important?

Definitely not! Prevention (i.e. preventing chlamydia) remains very important. Use condoms to protect yourself and others against all STDs, including chlamydia. If chlamydia causes symptoms, treatment is still necessary.

What if I still want to test?

If you are worried, you can always contact your GP or us for advice. We can discuss together whether testing is useful in your situation. You can also contact our test pointer doing.

Testing for other STDs

It is important to know that the testing policy for other STDs such as gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV remains unchanged. If there is reason to do so, it is still important to get tested for these STDs, even without symptoms.

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