How to get a sexual health check

By ReachOut Content Team
Updated 23 April 2025

Getting regular sexual health checks is a normal part of having a healthy sex life. They’re easy to do with your doctor or a sexual health nurse. Find out what’s involved and where you can get a sexual health check.

This can help if:

  • you’re sexually active and you haven’t had a sexual health check recently (or ever)

  • you think you might have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and need to see someone about it

  • you want to know what’s involved with getting a sexual health check.

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When to get a sexual health check

If you’re sexually active, it’s important to visit a doctor at least every six months to have sexual health checks, even if you feel nervous about it. Just remember that doctors and nurses talk about this kind of stuff all day, every day. Sexual health checks are essential for everyone, even if you’re in a long-term relationship, but especially if any of the following apply to you:

  • You think you might have an STI.

  • You’ve recently had unprotected sex, including vaginal, oral or anal sex.

  • A condom broke or fell off during sex.

  • You or your partner has more than one sexual partner.

  • You’ve shared injecting equipment (needles, etc.).

  • You’re at the start of a new sexual relationship.

These checks can help you get on top of any STIs early, while they’re easy to treat and before they develop into anything more serious. Even if you don’t think you have an STI, sexual health checks are good to do anyway, for your and your partner/s peace of mind.

What happens at a sexual health check?

At a sexual health check, you’ll be asked about your sex life, your body and your state of mind. Sexual health checks can involve tests, for example, for STIs (usually a blood or urine test), sexual dysfunction, and cervical cancer. They also include discussions about:

  • contraception, including long-term contraception options

  • reproductive issues, such as fertility

  • your rights in sexual relationships

  • your feelings about sex.

The doctor or nurse will usually start by asking you some questions, such as:

  • how many sexual partners have you had?

  • what type of sexual activity do you engage in?

  • what is the gender of your sexual partner/s?

  • do you have any symptoms that could indicate a sexual health or reproductive problem?

These questions might feel really personal, but the nurse or doctor isn’t judging your answers. They only ask these questions so that they can provide you with the right care for your situation and help protect your sexual health. 

A physical examination is also part of a sexual health check. With your permission, the doctor or nurse might:

  • ask you to provide a swab or urine sample

  • do a blood test

  • examine your external genital area

  • take swabs of fluid or discharge on a cotton bud for examination under a microscope

  • perform a vaginal examination, such as a pap smear (a swab on the cervix inside your vagina to test for signs of cervical cancer).

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Is it always awkward?

It can feel uncomfortable, awkward and embarrassing to answer personal questions and to be physically examined. But remember, these checks are a normal part of a health practitioner's job. Be honest and open, and trust that your doctor has heard it all before. Sexual health checks are a routine part of life. The more times you do them, the more normal it will feel. 

Your comfort and safety are important. If you feel that things are more uncomfortable than they should be, or that the doctor is doing or saying things that aren’t professional, you have the right to ask them to stop and to arrange to see a different doctor.

Finding a clinic

You can ask your regular GP for a sexual health check if you’re comfortable with that. Otherwise, there are sexual health clinics all over the country. The Family Planning Alliance Australia website lists a number of services. You can also explore the sexual health sections of your state health website:

What can I do now?

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              We acknowledge the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present. We recognise connection to Country as integral to health and wellbeing.

              We acknowledge people with lived experience of mental ill-health and recovery and the experience of people who have been carers, families, or supporters.

              ReachOut values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.

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