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Sexual health advocates say more people should be testing regularly for sexually transmitted infections - and encouraged to do so by their health practitioners.
There were just over 25,000 chlamydia cases, nearly 7,000 gonorrhoea cases, and 486 syphilis cases during 2022 - the most recent full year that statistics are available.
This was an increase in gonorrhoea and syphilis cases, while chlamydia notifications remained stable.
Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa, known until recently as Family Planning, says recent research suggests two-thirds of female patients have never had a health practitioner talk to them about getting an STI test, unless they themselves brought it up, or had symptoms.
They say self-testing can be a good option but there are barriers to this and there must be proper follow-up.
Kathryn speaks with director hauora Māori and Equity at Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa, Dr Tania Huria, Wellington youth GP Dr Emily Cavana and Erin Jackson, co-founder of EttieKits - a home testing kit for STIs, launched late last year.
