STI Testing for Women Who Have Sex With Women

Short answer: Yes, women who have sex with women can get and pass on STIs, and testing is part of routine care. CDC's STI Treatment Guidelines say women who have sex with women shouldn't be assumed to be at low or no risk, describe transmission of infections like HPV, herpes and trichomoniasis between female partners, and say cervical cancer screening should be offered to all women regardless of sexual orientation (CDC).

A lot of lesbian, bisexual and queer women have heard some version of "you don't really need to worry about that." Sometimes it comes from friends. Sometimes, unfortunately, it comes from a clinician. It's a myth, and it can leave infections untested. This guide walks through what can pass between women, which tests to ask for, and how to get them.

How STIs can pass between women

STIs don't need a penis to spread. Depending on the infection, transmission can happen through:

• Skin-to-skin contact. CDC notes that HPV can spread through skin-to-skin contact and that sexual transmission likely happens between women.
• Fingers and hands. CDC links digital-vaginal and digital-anal sex with passing infected fluids, and with BV.
• Oral sex, which CDC says may expose women to HSV-1, one of the herpes viruses.
• Shared sex toys. CDC names shared penetrative toys as a possible route and notes that HPV can persist on objects like toys.

CDC's section on women who have sex with women describes these routes and says effective screening means talking openly about sexual practices, not just sexual identity. Risk depends on what you do and with whom, not on a label.

Infections to know about

BV deserves a note. It's an imbalance of vaginal bacteria, and CDC doesn't recommend screening for it when you have no symptoms. CDC's WSW guidance links it with a new partner, a partner who has BV, receptive oral sex, and finger-to-vagina or finger-to-anus contact. If you notice a change in discharge or odor, it's worth a visit (CDC BV guidance).

Trichomoniasis is easy to miss because many people have no symptoms. Our trichomoniasis testing guide covers which samples work best.

Which tests to ask for

There's no single "lesbian STI panel." The right tests depend on your exposures and your history. Use this as a starting point for the conversation:

1. Cervical cancer screening if you have a cervix, on the schedule USPSTF recommends by age (USPSTF). CDC says this applies to women who have sex with women just as it does to other women.
2. Chlamydia and gonorrhea if you're 24 or younger and sexually active, or older with a new or multiple partners. USPSTF recommends routine screening for sexually active women 24 and younger and older women at increased risk (USPSTF). Add a throat swab if oral sex is part of your sex life and your clinician agrees.
3. Trichomoniasis if you have symptoms or a partner has been diagnosed. Ask your clinician whether screening fits your situation.
4. HPV vaccination if you're a young adult and haven't had it. CDC says it should be offered to young adult WSW according to current recommendations.
5. HIV at least once in your life, which CDC recommends for everyone 13 to 64 (CDC), and more often if you have risk factors.
6. Syphilis and hepatitis based on your history, including male partners, injection drug use, or a partner's diagnosis.
7. Herpes only with a sore to swab or a specific reason. CDC doesn't recommend routine herpes blood screening for people without symptoms (CDC).

Sharing sex toys more safely

Toys can carry infections from one person to another. CDC's guidance suggests not sharing toys, cleaning them, and using barriers. In practice that looks like:

• Use a new condom on a shared toy for each person, and change it before switching partners.
• Clean toys between uses following the manufacturer's directions for the material. Non-porous materials like silicone, glass and metal are easier to clean thoroughly.
• Don't move a toy from anus to vagina without cleaning it or changing the condom.
• Consider barriers for oral sex and gloves for hand sex, especially with a new partner.

None of these habits removes risk completely, which is why testing still matters.

What to say if a clinician assumes you don't need testing

Some clinicians skip STI testing for queer women, or assume all patients have male partners. You can steer the visit with a sentence or two:

If you get pushback:

If a clinic doesn't feel welcoming, you can look for another. Local health departments and LGBTQ health centers are often good options, and CDC's GetTested tool finds testing sites by ZIP code.

At-home testing as an option

At-home collection kits let you take vaginal swabs or urine samples yourself and mail them to a lab. They can help if getting to a clinic is hard. Before you order, read which sample types a kit uses. A vaginal swab or urine kit won't check your throat, and no mail-in kit replaces cervical cancer screening or an exam for sores. Our guide to at-home kit mistakes covers sample collection.

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Putting it together

A testing plan for women who have sex with women looks a lot like anyone else's: match the tests to your exposures, keep up with cervical cancer screening, and test again when something changes, like a new partner. Our new partner checklist helps with timing, and STI testing myths covers other beliefs that keep people from testing.

If you have symptoms such as a sore, unusual discharge, itching or pain, see a clinician. A screening kit can't examine a sore or tell you what a symptom is.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not diagnose, prescribe, or replace individualized medical care. Testing and treatment decisions should be made with a qualified healthcare provider. Some links on this page are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.