The Female Basics STD Test is a medical test specially designed for taking a sample from home. When taking the sample, you take a swab from your vaginal mucosa with the enclosed sampling device. This is similar to inserting a tampon.
After you have taken your sample, you pack the test tube in the enclosed return box and drop it in a Swiss Post mailbox. Your sample will be analyzed by an accredited Swiss laboratory, Medisyn (formerly known as Synlab). You will receive your results online 2-3 working days later.
Why to test
3 reasons why women should test for Chlamydia & Tripper once a year
Chlamydia: Most common STD in women
According to a study by the American CDC, 1 in 20 women has chlamydia - often unknowingly.
No symptoms in up to 80% of cases
In a large majority of cases, especially chlamydia does not cause any symptoms. The only way to know for sure is to test.
Untreated infection can lead to infertility
Untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea infections can damage the fallopian tubes, leading to infertility.
In Switzerland, 3-10% of the sexually active population is affected by chlamydia - among young sexually active persons even up to 13%. This number has remained constant over the last few years. 70% of the affected persons are women.
The common thing about a chlamydia infection is that for a long time there are no symptoms at all, but the infection can be passed on unsuspectingly during the next sexual contact. Particularly problematic for women is that the infection can ascend to the fallopian tubes or ovaries, where a permanent inflammatory reaction can alter the tissue, cause it to stick together and ultimately make it infertile - completely without symptoms.
Dr. Robert Döring, Chief Medical Officer @ Health Yourself
How the test works
01
Order your test kit
Orders before 16:00 on a working day are shipped the same day and usually arrive the next working day with Swiss Post.
02
Take your sample from home
The test kit will contain a swab, which you use to take a vaginal swab from the comfort of your home. The process is simple: Taking a sample is similar to inserting a tampon.
03
Send your sample to the lab for analysis
Next, you put your sample into the provided Retourbox and drop it off in a Swiss Post mailbox. It will be analysed by our Swiss laboratory partner, Medisyn (formerly known as Synlab).
04
Receive your results online
Your results will be available online 2-3 working days after sending your sample to the lab.
About test results
What you can expect from test results
Lab results & official lab report
Lab results will tell you in an easily understandable manner if you tested positive for any of the analysed STDs. You will also be able to download the official lab report from our laboratory partner Medisyn (formerly known as Synlab).
Treatment guidelines
In case you test positive, we will also provide you with clear recommendations on how to proceed. Soon, for chlamydia and tripper, you will also immediately be able to seek treatment with us, no doctor's visit needed.
Testing positive for an STD
Testing positive for an STD is not the end of the world. It does not make you a bad person and especially chlamydia & tripper are 100% curable. Treatment is easy and fast.
As part of your results, you will receive an official laboratory report from our accredited laboratory partner. Accordingly, laboratory reports are recognized by physicians in Switzerland and can serve as a basis for treatment. Soon, you will also be able to immediately access treatment through our platform, no doctor's visit needed.
Treatment usually consists of 1-2 weeks of antibiotic therapy. It is important and necessary that appropriate sexual partners are tested and treated as well!
After treatment, retesting is recommended to make sure that the infection has been treated successfully.
Chlamydia and other STDs are not being tested as part of your annual gynacology checkup. The gynacologist only tests for HPV.
Test parameters
1. Chlamydia is very common, but many people don't realise they have it because it does not cause any symptoms in up to 80% of cases. You can get it more than once.
2. Chlamydia infection may have long term health consequences like infertility.
3. Chlamydia's long-term health consequences can easily be prevented by regular screening and early treatment for sexually active people with changing sex partners.
50% of men and even 70% of women who have Chlamydia don't show symptoms. Many people unknowingly infect their partners. The most common symptom you experience? A text message from an ex, who claim they got it from you or gave it to you. If you have symptoms, these usually show 1-3 weeks after you have been in contact with Chlamydia. Typical symptoms include:
Women: Pain while urinating, unusual vaginal discharge, pain in the tummy or pelvis, pain during sex, bleeding after sex, bleeding between periods
Men: Pain while urinating, white, cloudy or watery discharge from the tip of the penis, burning or itching in the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body), pain in the testicles
Women
Untreated Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea are the most common causes of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). PID is an infection of the female reproductive organs. It may ultimately lead to chronic pain or infertility. As the symptoms of PID can be mild, you may not be aware of having it until the damage is done.
Unborn child
If you have a PID and it is not timely treated, it may cause the fertilized egg to nest outside of the womb (ectopic pregnancy). It can not survive there.When you have a regular pregnancy, the gynaecologist usually tests you for Chlamydia, as Chlamydia can cause a premature birth. Chlamydia may also be passed on to the baby, leading to e.g. pneumonia or an eye infection.
Men
Men do not always suffer long term effects, but you remain contagious to your sex partners. The most common longer term effect is inflammation of the testicles. It can also lead to Reactive Arthritis and even infertility.
Sources: NHS, Mayo Clinic
In 2019, there were 12.410 cases of Chlamydia in Switzerland. The highest risk group are young women, aged 20-24. Almost 1'100 of every 100'000 are diagnosed with Chlamydia every year. Since the year 2000, the numbers continue to increase rapidly 📈.
Chlamydia is most often diagnosed with young sexually active people. Sexual preference (straight, gay, etc.) doesn't seem to make much of a difference. 59% of the "victims" are female, 40% are male. Chlamydia is more widely spread in cities and suburbs, than in the less populated countryside. Especially Kantons Geneva, Basel City and Zürich are risk areas.
Using a condom is reducing your risks of contracting Chlamydia by some 80%, so that is not a guarantee to stay clean.
Chlamydia is typically treated with antibiotics. Which exact antibiotics you are given depends on individual factors.
No sex!
Don't have sex from the moment you were tested until the end of your treatment, as you are putting your partner in danger. If your partner was infected as well, wait with sex till you are both clean. Some antibiotics require you to abstain until a week after taking them.
Inform, test and treat sex partners
Chlamydia is transmitted primarily through sex. You got it from someone else, who may not be aware of having it. If you had sex with more than one person since your last test, you may have infected them as well. Inform everyone whom you had sex with during the last 6 months or since the last time you have tested.
Retest
If symptoms persist, a retest is recommended. People under 25 are strongly advised to retest after 3 months, even without symptoms. If your initial test was with us, you qualify for a discount on your retest. Please contact our Support.
1. Gonorrhea is highly contagious and is the second most common reportable sexually transmitted disease in Switzerland.
2. You can get it by having unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has it. It can spread without ejaculation.
3. In women, gonorrhea often doesn't cause symptoms, but even without, the disease can be passed on.
Gonorrhoea is also known as Tripper or The Clap. Many people who have Gonorrhoea show symptoms within 1-10 days after contracting it. Sometimes it takes up to several months before symptoms show. However, 50% of women and 10% of men do not develop any obvious symptoms. Thus, many of them unknowingly infect their partners.
The most common symptom you experience? Very unpleasant bathroom breaks, because of pain with urinating and abnormal watery/thin and yellow/greenish colour discharge. Other symptoms include:
Women: Pain or tenderness in the lower abdominal area, bleeding between periods, heavier periods, bleeding after sex
Men: Inflammation or swelling of the foreskin, pain or tenderness in the testicles
Women
10-20% of untreated cases of Gonorrhoea lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). Together with Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea is the most common cause of PID. PID is an infection of the female reproductive organs, which may ultimately result in chronic pain or infertility. As the symptoms of PID can be mild, you may not be aware of having it until the damage is done.
Unborn child
If a you have a PID and it is not timely treated, it may cause the fertilized egg to nest outside of the womb (ectopic pregnancy). It can not survive there.When you have a regular pregnancy, Gonorrhoea can cause a premature birth or even a miscarriage. Gonorrhoea may also be passed on to the baby, potentially leading to an eye infection. If untreated, such infection can cause permanent vision damage.
Men
Men are less susceptible to long term effects, but you remain contagious to your sex partners. The most common longer term effect is a painful infection in the testicles and prostate gland. In rare cases this may lead to reduced fertility.
Sources: NHS, Mayo Clinic
In 2019, there were 3.917 cases of Gonorrhoea in Switzerland.The highest risk group are non-heterosexual men, aged 25-44: Roughly 3'000 of every 100'000 are diagnosed with Gonorrhoea every year. In the past 3 years, the number of infections was booming 📈.
In 1 out of 6 cases, the "victim" is female. Almost 1 out of 3 concerns heterosexual men. Gonorrhoea is more widely spread in cities and suburbs, than in the less populated countryside. Especially Kantons Zürich, Basel City and Geneva are risk areas.
Using a condom is reducing your risks of contracting Gonorrhoea by some 80%, so that is not a guarantee to stay clean.
Sources: Federal Office of Public Health (BAG), publicly available research
Gonorrhoea is typically treated with antibiotics: an injection in your thigh or buttocks or by pills. Which exact antibiotics you are given depends on individual factors.
No sex!
Don't have sex from the moment you were diagnosed until the end of your treatment, as you are putting your partner in danger. If your partner was infected as well, wait with sex till you are both clean. Some antibiotics require you to abstain until a week after taking them.
Inform, test and treat sex partners
Gonorrhoea is transmitted primarily through sex. You got it from someone else, who may not be aware of having it. If you had sex with more than one person since your last test, you may have infected them as well. Inform everyone whom you had sex with during the last 6 months or since the last time you have tested.
Retest
It is recommended to confirm being clean with a retest, 2 weeks after you have finished the treatment. Obviously, if symptoms persist a retest is also recommended. If your initial test was with us, you qualify for a discount on your retest. Please contact our Support.
Questions about this test? We have answers.
How quickly will I receive my test?
From Monday to Friday, all orders submitted before 16:00 are shipped on the same day and will usually arrive on the next working day including Saturday. All tests ordered over the weekend are shipped on Monday and usually arrive on Tuesday.
How will my test be delivered?
All tests are delivered by Swiss Post in discrete enevolpes or parcels without any outside markings.
Will I be able to take my sample correctly without any medical training?
You do not require any medical training to use our tests. We provide very detailed instructions on how to take your sample and several thousand customers have already successfully taken their tests.
How do I return my sample to the lab for analysis?
You simply put your sample into the return box we provide with each test kit and drop the return box off in any Swiss Post mailbox. You do not need to add a stamp, this is already printed on the return box.
Who analyses my sample?
Your sample is analysed by our laboratory partner Medisyn (formerly known as Synlab). Medisyn is one of the largest laboratory service providers in Switzerland. You might have encountered them during COVID.
Are the results as reliable as from a doctor's office?
All analyses included in this test are also offered through doctors' offices or sexual health centers by our laboratory partner Medisyn (formerly known as Synlab). You effectively receive the same test, you only collect the sample from home instead of at the doctor's office.
Medisyn is the largest provider of laboratory services in Switzerland and uses state-of-the-art technology for analysis of all samples.
How long does it take to receive my results?
Your results are generally available online 2-3 working days after you have sent your sample to the lab for analysis.
Will I be able to understand my results without any medical training?
All tests results are easily understandable without any medical training and include clear explanations.
What if I test positive for an STD?
If you test positive, your test results will include clear guidelines on what to do next. As part of your results, you will also receive an official laboratory report from our accredited laboratory partner. Accordingly, laboratory reports are recognized by physicians in Switzerland and can serve as a basis for treatment. Soon, you will also be able to immediately access treatment through our platform, no doctor's visit needed.
