Urine STI Screening: New Data

For women’s healthcare, there are 3 ways to screen for genital GC, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis: 1. vaginal swab, 2. endocervical swab, or 3. first-catch urine. The CDC states that, “For female screening, specimens obtained with a vaginal swab are the preferred specimen type. Vaginal swab specimens are as sensitive as cervical swab specimens.” Why does it not favor urine screening? Although acceptable at a POPULATION level, there are several caveats to urine screening for STIs at an INDIVIDUAL level. In this episode, we will review the latest published data (March/April) regarding the sensitivity of urine screening for these 3 common STIs. Additionally, we will summarize important instructions/tips for proper self-swab collection, and proper first-catch urine testing.