Utrecht has seen a striking trend in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). This city, known as the "STD capital" of the Netherlands, shows a worrying increase in the number of gonorrhea cases, especially among young women. In this article, we look at the most common STDs in Utrecht and recent developments in this area.

Gonorrhea: A Rising Concern

Gebaseerd op gegevens van het Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM) en berichtgeving van RTV Utrecht, is er een significante toename te zien in het aantal gonorroe-diagnoses. De stijging, die voor het eerst werd waargenomen in 2022, heeft zich voortgezet in 2023. In de eerste helft van 2023 werden er 89.386 SOA-consulten gehouden, waarbij 6.687 keer gonorroe werd vastgesteld. Deze toename is voornamelijk zichtbaar onder vrouwen en heteromannen. Bij vrouwen steeg het aantal gevallen van 899 in 2022 naar 1.248 in 2023, een stijging van 38%. Bij heteromannen werd een toename van 20% vastgesteld, en bij mannen die seks hebben met mannen (MSM) was er een toename van 10%​​​​.

Targets of Increase

It is noteworthy that gonorrhea is especially more common among young people under the age of 25, people of Dutch descent, and the highly educated. These specific target groups show a higher risk of contracting this STD. The finding rate, the proportion of people who test positive for gonorrhea, in the first half of 2023 was 3.7% among women and 3.2% among heterosexual men, which is higher than in the previous year.

Prevention and Education

The increase of gonorrhea in Utrecht has led to extra measures and attention from the RIVM and the GGD. During festivals and introduction weeks for students, condoms were distributed with the message "give love, not an STD." These actions are a reaction to the observed increase and the lack of sufficient education about STDs in the Netherlands.

Better Safe Than Sorry

The situation in Utrecht regarding STDs, especially gonorrhea, is worrying. The increase in diagnoses among young women, heterosexual men and the MSM group indicates a growing problem. Preventive measures and comprehensive education are crucial to counter this trend and protect the sexual health of Utrecht residents.

STD Testing Utrecht

To prevent the spread of STDs, it is important to be aware of the risks and take preventive measures. Get tested regularly, use condoms during sexual intercourse, and seek professional medical advice if you think you may have been at risk.
If you are concerned and think you have contracted a gonorrhea infection, you can get tested at Onedayclinic Utrecht. The regular result is therealready 1-3 working days and the rapid-test result is there already after 90 minutes.