P B Mead1. 1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Vermont College of Medicine and Employee Health Service Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the ability of history taking alone, compared with pregnancy testing, to identify early pregnancies among potential female measles vaccinees. METHODS: As part of an institution-wide measles immunization program, 326 female health care workers (HCWs) who denied being pregnant underwent a urine pregnancy test prior to vaccination. RESULTS: Of the 326 women, 3 had positive pregnancy tests and were ultimately confirmed to be pregnant. Although all 3 women denied the possibility of pregnancy prior to testing, 2 had been unable to give an exact date for their last menstrual period (LMP). CONCLUSIONS: In this group of 326 northern New England HCWs being immunized against measles during an outbreak, history taking alone failed to identify 3 pregnancies. If the inability to give an exact date of the LMP had been included as a discriminator, 2 additional pregnancies could have been suspected, but 1 pregnancy still would have gone undetected.
OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the ability of history taking alone, compared with pregnancy testing, to identify early pregnancies among potential female measles vaccinees. METHODS: As part of an institution-wide measles immunization program, 326 female health care workers (HCWs) who denied being pregnant underwent a urine pregnancy test prior to vaccination. RESULTS: Of the 326 women, 3 had positive pregnancy tests and were ultimately confirmed to be pregnant. Although all 3 women denied the possibility of pregnancy prior to testing, 2 had been unable to give an exact date for their last menstrual period (LMP). CONCLUSIONS: In this group of 326 northern New England HCWs being immunized against measles during an outbreak, history taking alone failed to identify 3 pregnancies. If the inability to give an exact date of the LMP had been included as a discriminator, 2 additional pregnancies could have been suspected, but 1 pregnancy still would have gone undetected.
Authors: M E Willy; D E Koziol; T Fleisher; S Koo; H McFarland; J Schmitt; R Wesley; E S Hurwitz; D K Henderson Journal: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Date: 1994-01 Impact factor: 3.254