OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to estimate the rates of testing, prevalence, and follow-up testing for chlamydial and gonococcal infection in a nationally based population that is comparable with the US pregnant population in terms of age and race. STUDY DESIGN: We extracted laboratory results for 1,293,423 pregnant women tested over a 3-year period. RESULTS: During pregnancy, 59% (761,315 of 1,293,423) and 57% (730,796 of 1,293,423) of women were tested at least once for Chlamydia trachomatis or for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, respectively. Of those women tested, 3.5% (26,437 of 761,315) and 0.6% (4605 of 730,796) tested positive for chlamydial and gonococcal infection, respectively, at least once during pregnancy. Of those women who were initially positive for the given infection, 78% (16,039 of 20,489) and 76% (2610 of 3435) were retested, of whom 6.0% (969 of 16,039) and 3.8% (100 of 2610) were positive on their last prenatal test for C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae, respectively. CONCLUSION: Many pregnant women are not tested for C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae despite recommendations to test. Follow-up testing to monitor the effectiveness of treatment is also not always performed.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to estimate the rates of testing, prevalence, and follow-up testing for chlamydial and gonococcal infection in a nationally based population that is comparable with the US pregnant population in terms of age and race. STUDY DESIGN: We extracted laboratory results for 1,293,423 pregnant women tested over a 3-year period. RESULTS: During pregnancy, 59% (761,315 of 1,293,423) and 57% (730,796 of 1,293,423) of women were tested at least once for Chlamydia trachomatis or for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, respectively. Of those women tested, 3.5% (26,437 of 761,315) and 0.6% (4605 of 730,796) tested positive for chlamydial and gonococcal infection, respectively, at least once during pregnancy. Of those women who were initially positive for the given infection, 78% (16,039 of 20,489) and 76% (2610 of 3435) were retested, of whom 6.0% (969 of 16,039) and 3.8% (100 of 2610) were positive on their last prenatal test for C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae, respectively. CONCLUSION: Many pregnant women are not tested for C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae despite recommendations to test. Follow-up testing to monitor the effectiveness of treatment is also not always performed.
Authors: Janice Leahgrace Simons; Jessica S McKenzie; Nicole C Wright; Shainela A Sheikh; Akila Subramaniam; Alan T N Tita; Jodie Dionne-Odom Journal: Sex Transm Dis Date: 2021-01 Impact factor: 3.868