At-Home STI Testing for Women in Australia: What You Need to Know

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Clinical guidelines are reviewed and updated over time — always confirm current advice with a qualified health provider. If you're experiencing severe pain, fever, or other urgent symptoms, seek immediate medical attention rather than relying on this article or at-home testing.

TestSmart offers at-home STI and HPV testing for women across mainland Australia. You collect your own sample, post it back, and receive GP-reviewed results without visiting a clinic or collection centre. Here's what to test for, how often, and how it works.

Which STI Tests Are Recommended?

The Australian STI Management Guidelines recommend chlamydia testing for all sexually active people under 30, and anyone who considers themselves at risk. For people who aren't in a high-risk group, the guidelines also recommend considering HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B tests, and recommend gonorrhoea testing in certain higher-risk groups. The Department of Health notes that general STI tests include syphilis and HIV screening, and that the tests you need depend on your risk. Your doctor can advise which tests suit you.

Chlamydia is the most commonly notified STI in Australia, with 94,184 diagnoses in 2025, and there were 42,393 gonorrhoea diagnoses in the same year (Kirby Institute, 2026).

TestSmart's STI kits test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea. HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B are tested using blood and aren't included. Read more about HIV and syphilis testing.

If you're testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, other sites may also need testing depending on your sexual history:

• Throat swab — if you've had oral sex. A urine test won't detect a throat infection, and according to the guidelines, throat gonorrhoea has no symptoms in most people.
• Rectal swab — if you've had anal sex. A urine test won't detect an anal infection, and according to the guidelines, anal gonorrhoea has no symptoms in most people.

HPV (cervical screening) is separate from STI testing. It's covered below.

How Does Cervical Screening Differ from Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea Testing?

Chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing checks for bacterial infections, which are treated with antibiotics.

Cervical screening checks for HPV (human papillomavirus), the virus that causes almost all cervical cancers. There is currently no treatment that cures HPV, and in most people the body clears it within 1 to 2 years. The National Cervical Screening Program recommends a Cervical Screening Test every 5 years for women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 74 who have ever had sexual contact.

TestSmart offers both as separate kits. Read more about HPV and HPV self-collection.

What At-Home STI Testing for Women Includes

TestSmart offers two STI testing options:

• Standard STI Kit — a urine sample, testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea at the genital site.
• Comprehensive STI Kit — a urine sample plus self-collected throat and rectal swabs, testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea at all three sites.

All samples are processed by a NATA-accredited pathology laboratory using NAAT, the testing method recommended in the Australian STI Management Guidelines. Every order includes a GP-reviewed referral and GP review of your results.

How It Works

1. Order online
2. Complete a short health questionnaire, reviewed by an Australian-registered GP who issues your pathology referral
3. Your kit arrives in discreet, plain packaging
4. Collect your samples at home following the step-by-step instructions
5. Return everything using the prepaid Australia Post mailer
6. Receive your results securely online, typically within 3–4 business days of the lab receiving your sample

How Often Should Women Get Tested?

After a potential exposure, wait at least two weeks before testing. Read more about how long after sex to get tested.

Do Women Get Symptoms?

Often not. According to the Australian STI Management Guidelines, 85–90% of people with chlamydia have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur in women, the guidelines list vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, bleeding between periods, bleeding after sex and pain during sex.

If you have symptoms, seeing a GP or sexual health clinic is usually best, as you may need an examination. You can still order a TestSmart kit, but you'll have a short telehealth consult with a doctor before your kit is sent.

Is It Private?

Yes. Your kit arrives in plain, unmarked packaging. Results are delivered to you online. They are not sent to your regular GP or shared with anyone other than the TestSmart GP who reviews them.

Under the Australian STI Management Guidelines, positive chlamydia and gonorrhoea results are notified to the state or territory health department. This is a routine public health process.

What Happens If My Result Is Positive?

Your reviewing GP will contact you to discuss your result and next steps. Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics, which can be prescribed remotely. You'll also be advised on notifying recent partners. Read more about what happens if your STI test comes back positive.

Summary

TestSmart offers at-home STI testing and HPV cervical screening for women across mainland Australia, lab-processed and GP-reviewed.

TestSmart's testing and treatment pathways are reviewed by Australian-registered GPs and follow current Australian clinical guidelines. This article is general information only and does not replace individual medical advice — your circumstances, symptoms, and test results should always be discussed with your reviewing doctor.