Services

Is your clinic a drop-in?
No. You can’t just show up, but you can book an appointment during clinic hours.

What does it cost to attend the clinic?
All our services are free, but there is a charge for birth control pills, Depo-Provera and IUDs.

Is your service anonymous?
HIV antibody tests are done anonymously, and all our other services and tests are confidential.

Is there an age limit?
There is no age limit and you don’t have to live in Toronto.

Are all your doctors women?
Yes.

Pregnancy

When can I have a pregnancy test and how soon will I find out?
We can do an accurate urine test for pregnancy within a week of missing a period. Results are available within five minutes.

Does the clinic do abortions?
No. We provide pregnancy testing, counselling and referrals appropriate to the client’s plan.

Birth control

When am I safe on the pill?
Before you rely on it for protection, you should wait until you have completed one pack of pills. After that you are safe all the time, including during the sugar pills or the seven days off, providing you don’t miss any pills. If you miss one or more pills you should use a backup method (such as condoms) until your next pack.

Will the pill/IUD/Depo-Provera stop me from getting pregnant in the future?
None of these methods of birth control have any long-term effects on fertility. However, sometimes periods can be delayed after stopping the pill or the Depo-Provera.

Is it okay to skip periods on the pill?
Some women choose to miss the occasional period by not taking a break or not taking the sugar pills at the end of the pack. There is no harm in doing this, and you are still protected from pregnancy, but if you are late with pills you may be more likely to have breakthrough bleeding.

Emergency contraceptive pill (ECP)

What is the ECP?
The emergency contraceptive pill, also known as the morning after pill, is a hormonal treatment that reduces the chance of pregnancy if taken within three days after unprotected sex. At this clinic we offer Ovral for free, or prescriptions for Plan B.

HIV

When should I take an HIV test?
An HIV test is most accurate if done three months after your most recent risk occurrence such as unprotected sex, sharing needles etc. You do not need to do an HIV test on a regular basis unless you feel you have been at risk for the virus.

How can I get an HIV test?
At this clinic we do anonymous HIV testing. You book an appointment on a first-name basis, and then when you come to the clinic you are assigned a number. The test is done under the number and when you return to the clinic with your number you can get your results. Results generally take one to two weeks.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

How can I get an STD test?
There is no single test that can check for all STDs. We offer tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, hepatitis B, vaginal infections, genital herpes, as well as Pap tests for cervical cancer, on a confidential basis.

When and how will I get the results?
Results generally take from one to three weeks, depending on the test. You can pick up your results by phone or email.

What happens if I have an STD?
We offer free treatment for gonorrhea, chlamydia and some vaginal infections. We also offer counselling on managing the infection and how to tell partners, if necessary.

Hepatitis B vaccinations

How can I get a hepatitis B vaccination?
We offer free hepatitis B vaccinations to people at risk. The schedule for the injections is:

• First injection
• Second injection one month after the first
• Third injection six months after the first

Local clinics and organizations

Are there other Toronto clinics I can go to?
Sexual health clinics affiliated with Toronto Public Health are listed here.

The Hassle Free Clinic, located in downtown Toronto, provides free medical and counselling services in many areas of sexual health.

The Immigrant Women’s Health Centre is a woman-centred organization committed to helping immigrant and refugee women and women of colour. Services are provided in several languages.

The AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) provides free, confidential supportive and practical services to men, women and youth living with HIV/AIDS. ACT also provides information and support to friends, partners, and families of people living with HIV/AIDS.