OBJECTIVE: To describe the beliefs and practices of obstetricians related to prenatal serologic testing for HSV infection. METHODS: A total of 265 (73% of eligible) currently practicing obstetricians in Washington State completed a 36-question mailed survey that assessed beliefs regarding genital herpes in pregnancy, neonatal herpes, serologic testing for herpes in pregnancy, and ease of testing. RESULTS: Ninety-five percent of respondents believed genital herpes was common in reproductive-aged women, 83% believed neonatal herpes was a serious health issue, and 73% believed it warranted systematic prevention efforts; 74% discussed herpes with pregnant patients as part of prenatal care, 31% provided written materials about herpes, and 15% used serologic tests for herpes in 75% or more of their prenatal patients. Factors independently associated with routine herpes serologic testing were academic practice setting (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 10.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.8-39.1) and metropolitan practice setting (aOR 3.3, 95% CI 1.4-7.9). Beliefs that testing would cause unnecessary distress in pregnancy (aOR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.7), or that testing was not worth the expense (aOR 0.1, 95% CI 0.0-0.6) were associated with not testing. Availability of serologic tests for HSV was reported to be high and was not associated with prenatal HSV testing. CONCLUSION: Most obstetricians believe neonatal herpes prevention is important. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the beliefs and practices of obstetricians related to prenatal serologic testing for HSV infection. METHODS: A total of 265 (73% of eligible) currently practicing obstetricians in Washington State completed a 36-question mailed survey that assessed beliefs regarding genital herpes in pregnancy, neonatal herpes, serologic testing for herpes in pregnancy, and ease of testing. RESULTS: Ninety-five percent of respondents believed genital herpes was common in reproductive-aged women, 83% believed neonatal herpes was a serious health issue, and 73% believed it warranted systematic prevention efforts; 74% discussed herpes with pregnant patients as part of prenatal care, 31% provided written materials about herpes, and 15% used serologic tests for herpes in 75% or more of their prenatal patients. Factors independently associated with routine herpes serologic testing were academic practice setting (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 10.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.8-39.1) and metropolitan practice setting (aOR 3.3, 95% CI 1.4-7.9). Beliefs that testing would cause unnecessary distress in pregnancy (aOR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.7), or that testing was not worth the expense (aOR 0.1, 95% CI 0.0-0.6) were associated with not testing. Availability of serologic tests for HSV was reported to be high and was not associated with prenatal HSV testing. CONCLUSION: Most obstetricians believe neonatal herpes prevention is important. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.
Authors: Helen C Stankiewicz Karita; Nicholas J Moss; Ellen Laschansky; Linda Drolette; Amalia S Magaret; Stacey Selke; Carolyn Gardella; Anna Wald Journal: Open Forum Infect Dis Date: 2017-11-06 Impact factor: 3.835