Women's Health History and Physical (H&P) Practice Exam

Ongoing annual screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea in women beyond age 24 should be directed by risk factors, not by age alone. The strongest reason to continue annual testing in older women is the presence of factors that raise the chance of acquiring or spreading these infections: new or multiple sexual partners, a partner with an STI, or inconsistent condom use. These scenarios keep the individual at higher risk, even after turning 25, so annual screening remains a prudent preventive step.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea can be silent, and early detection helps prevent complications like pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy, while also reducing transmission to others. That’s why risk-based screening targets those who are most likely to benefit.

Choosing all women over 24 would overpathologize the group and lead to unnecessary testing in lower-risk individuals. A history of PID is indeed a risk factor, but it doesn’t alone define everyone who should be screened annually. Pregnancy status changes screening needs in specific ways, but “only pregnant women” misses nonpregnant individuals at risk.