Your responsibilities 9/12
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I need to get my bits checked out ... what happens at the genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic? Find out where you nearest clinic is and whether they hold walk-in sessions for under 25s. On arrival, give your name (don't worry, it's totally confidential). A doctor will ask when you last had sex, what contraception you use, the date your last period began, and about symptoms like itching or discharge. Then you'll be asked to take off your jeans and pants and put on a gown, so that a doctor or nurse can take a swab from your vagina or penis – it's a bit uncomfortable, but very quick. They might want a sample of blood or urine too. You'll get some results straight away, but others take up to two weeks. If you have got a sexually transmitted infection (STI), don't panic. Most are easily cured, but genital warts and herpes can come back, and HIV is incurable. That's why it's important to always use a condom. |
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