Massachusetts STD Testing Directory
To help you locate an accredited laboratory/testing center, a list of resources has been compiled and can be found below.
Consult with your health care provider about any lab testing that you may be considering. It is also important to follow up with your health care provider to discuss your results within the context of your medical history.
STD Trends in Massachusetts
Massachusetts’s reported STDs are below average but still prevalent in the state. Some underlying causes of increased STDs in Massachusetts relate to a complex network of social factors. Some of these factors may include economic disparities that prevent access to appropriate health care, substance use, homelessness, and the exchange of sex for money or other resources. Startling trends seen in Massachusetts include:
| STD Trends in Massachusetts |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| State rank | Cases | Rate per 100,000 population | |
| Chlamydia | 41st | 24,901 | 361.3 |
| Gonorrhea | 42nd | 7,494 | 108.7 |
| Syphilis | 28th | 615 | 8.9 |
| Congenital syphilis | 35th | 10 | 14.5 |
Source: CDC 2020 STD Surveillance Report
STD Screening Recommendations and Risk Factors
If you have sex, you are at risk for getting an STD. According to the CDC, Risk factors for STDs include:
- Unprotected sex (anal, vaginal, or oral)
- Sex with multiple partners
- Anonymous sex partners
- Sex under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Injection of drugs or sharing needles
Should you get tested for STDs? And how often? Talk to your doctor to be sure, but you should generally follow these CDC recommendations:
| Who should get tested | How often to test |
|---|---|
| Anyone who is sexually active | At least once for HIV and more often if you have new partners |
| Sexually active women under 25 or women 25+ with new or multiple sex partners or a partner with an STD | Annually for gonorrhea and chlamydia |
| Pregnant women | During pregnancy for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B and C, chlamydia, gonorrhea |
| Sexually active gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men |
|
| Anyone who has unsafe sex or shares injection drug equipment | Annually for HIV and Hepatitis B and C |
| People who have had oral or anal sex | Discuss throat and rectal testing with your health care provider |
STD Testing in Massachusetts:
Free STD Testing Centers in Massachusetts
Community-based STD testing organizations help expand access to sexual health services by offering affordable, confidential testing and treatment.
You may choose a community testing center if cost, insurance coverage, privacy, or access to a regular healthcare provider is a concern. While some centers charge a small fee, many offer free or low-cost STD testing and additional support services. Below are examples of community-based resources where reduced-cost testing may be available.
- Boston Public Health Commission
Address: 1010 Massachusetts Ave., Sixth Floor, Boston, MA 02118Number: (617) 534-5395 - City of Gloucester Health Department
Address: 302 Washington St., Gloucester, MA 01930Number: (978) 865-3924 - Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts
Address: 1055 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215Number: (800) 230-7526 - AFC Urgent Care
Address: 945 Worcester St., Natick, MA 01760Number: (508) 650-6208 - Justice Resource Institute Program RISE
Address: 1 Grant St., Suite 100, Framingham, MA 01702Number: (508) 935-2960 - Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers
Address: 24 Union Ave., Suites 8 and 10, Framingham, MA 01702Number: 508-872-2652
Address: 1 Stoughton Street, Dorchester, MA 02125Number: 617-825-5897
Address: 697 Cambridge St., Suite 203, Brighton, MA 02135Number: 617-787-0557