Details
Category: Volume 08 Issue 07 July 2020
Hits: 1028

Title: Sexually transmitted infections in pregnancy: A 20 year retrospective clinico-epidemiological study from a tertiary care hospital, Kerala, South India

Authors: Sheena Ann Simon, S Pradeep Nair

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v8i7.83

Abstract

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) in pregnancy are encountered worldwide and contribute to adverse fetal outcome.

Methodology: This is a 20 year retrospective record based study done in the STI clinic of our tertiary care  center.

Results: There were 220 pregnant women with STI’s, accounting for a frequency of 14.83%. Some cases had multiple STI’s and so the total number of STI’s observed were 233. The mean age was 24.06 years. The majority of the pregnant women with STI’s were primi (82.72%). Majority of antenatal STI’s were married (99.09%), the source of contact was marital in 93.63% and type of contact, heterosexual (100%). Viral STI’s were the most common, accounting for 136 cases (58.37%). However syphilis was the commonest STI as a single group encountered in pregnant women, 89 cases (38.19%). Condyloma acuminata accounted for 70 (30.04%) and herpes genitalis 62 (26.61%). Syphilis was again the commonest STI seen in the marital partner (59.02%). The prevalence of genital discharge STI was only 3%. There were no bacterial vaginosis or HIV cases.

Conclusions: This study showed a low prevalence of STI’s in pregnant females. History of abortion was most common in pregnant women who had current syphilis (‘P’ <0.001). Syphilis was the commonest STI as a single group, while viral STI’s were the maximum. There were no cases of bacterial vaginosis and HIV infection .

Keywords: Pregnancy, Sexually transmitted infections, Syphilis.

References

  1. Apparao P and Siddartha P. Seroprevalence of sexually transmitted diseases among pregnant women in a tertiary care hospital. Int J Res Prof 2016;2:40-2.
  2. Allstaff S and Wilson J. The management of sexually transmitted infections in pregnancy. The Obstet Gynecol 2012; 14:25-32.
  3. Sullivan EA, Abel M, Tabrizi S, Garland SM, Grice A, Poumerol G, et al. Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among antenatal women in Vanuatu, 1999‑2000. Sex Transm Dis 2003;30:362‑6.
  4. Sharma S, Gugnani K, Klug L, Saxena S. Sexually transmitted diseases in pregnancy in urgent care setting. J Clin GynecolObstet2014;3:123-28.
  5. Ekeroma AJ, Pandit L, Bartley C, Ilkenasio-Thorpe B, Thompson JMD. Screening for sexually transmitted infections in pregnancy at Middlemore Hospital, 2009. N Z Med J 2012;125:23-30.
  6. Mullick S, Watson-Jones D, Bebsinska M, Mabey D. Sexually transmitted infections in pregnancy: prevalence, impact on pregnancy outcomes, and approach to treatment in developing countries. Sex Transm Infect 2005;81:294-302.
  7. Barney OJ and Nathan Study of the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and related conditions in pregnant women attending a sexual health service. Int J STD AIDS 2005;16:353-56.
  8. Shah M, Deshmukh S, Patel SV, Mehta K, Marfatia Y. Validation of vaginal discharge syndrome among pregnant women attending obstetrics clinic, in the tertiary hospital of Western India. Indian J Sex Transm Dis 2014;35:118-23.
  9. Ginindza TG, Stefan CD, Tsoka-Gwegweni JM, Dlamini X, Jolly PE, Weiderpass E et al. Prevalence and risk factors associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among women of reproductive age in Swaziland. Infectious Agents and Cancer 2017; 12:29. doi. 10.1186/s13027-017-0140-y.
  10. Doroschenko A, Sherrard J, Pollard AJ. Syphilis in pregnancy and the neonatal period. Int J STD AIDS 2006;17:221-28.
  11. Torres RG, Mendonça ALN, Montes GC, Manzan JJ, Ribeiro JU, Paschoin MC.Syphilis in Pregnancy: The Reality in a Public Hospital. Rev. Bras. Ginecol. Obstet 2019 :41 (2).doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1676569.
  12. Costa MC, Demarch EB, Azulay DR, Perisse ARS, Dias MFRG, Nery JAD.An Bras Dermatol 2010;85:767-85.
  13. Nair SP. A study of the changing trends of sexually transmitted infections in the state of Indian J Sex Trans Dis 2012;33:64-5.
  14. Singhal P, Naswa S, Marfatia YS. Pregnancy and sexually transmitted viral infections. Indian J Sex Transm Dis 2009;30:71-8.
  15. Yavuzcan A, ÇaLlar M, Turan H, Tekin A, Topuz S, Yavuzca G et al.The Treatment of Giant Periurethral Condyloma in Pregnancy Using an Ultrasonic Thermal Scalpel: A Case Reportand New Single Session Treatment Option.Case reports in Obstetrics &Gynaecology2015 ;doi.org /10.1155/2015/792412.
  16. Brown ZA, Selke S, Zeh J, Kopelman J, Maslow A, Ashley RL, et al. The acquisition of herpes simplex virus during pregnancy. N Engl J Med 1997;337:509-15.
  17. Nnadi DC, Singh S. The prevalence of genital Candida species among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in a tertiary health center in North-west Nigeria. Sahel Med J 2017;20:33-7.
  18. Schonfeld A, Feldt T, Tufa TB, Orth HM, Fuchs A, Mesfun MG, et al. Prevalence and impact of sexually transmitted infections in pregnant women in central Ethiopia. IntJ STD AIDS2017;29:251-58. 
  19. Marx G, John-Stewart G, Bosire R, Wamalwa D, Otieno P, Farquhar C.Diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis among HIV-1-infected pregnant women in Nairobi. Int J STD AIDS 2010;21: 549-52.

Corresponding Author

Dr Sheena Ann Simon

Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala