HIV testing services should be offered to all family planning clients at high risk for HIV, either because they live in a high HIV burden region or because they are at high risk despite living in a low or medium HIV burden setting (see table on Providing HIV Testing and Prevention Services). For these clients, HIV testing should be routinely offered with all family planning services, because it is a critical first step in obtaining appropriate HIV care and treatment, risk-reduction counseling, and prevention services.

  • In high HIV burden settings, all adolescents and women should be offered an HIV test (with full information and counseling) when they come for family planning services, or be referred for HIV testing elsewhere if it is not available on site.
  • In low and medium HIV burden settings, all adolescents and women who are at high risk for HIV after discussing their risk factors with a provider (see the box earlier in this chapter) should be offered an HIV test. This includes sex workers and women who inject drugs. If an HIV test is not available at the family planning center, they should be referred to another location for testing. 

How Often Should Women Retest for HIV?

In all settings, regardless of HIV burden, adolescents and women can test every year if they have any of the risk factors described in the box earlier in this chapter. They should also retest if they become pregnant, as a routine service during antenatal care. For further information, please refer to the Questions and Answers section at the end of this chapter.