The Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections on Teen Pregnancies & Their Association to Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
INTRODUCTION:
Based
on our population data, the teen pregnancy rate and the prevalence of sexually
transmitted infections (STIs) reported during pregnancy are worrisome. STIs
appear to pose a threat to pregnancy outcomes including preterm birth (PTB),
neonatal low birth weight (NLBW) and premature rupture of membranes (PROM). The
objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of STIs in pregnant
teens and the association of this variable to adverse pregnancy outcomes.
METHODS:
We
performed a cross sectional study to assess the prevalence of STIs among
pregnant teens during a 4-year period at our institution. Birth outcomes such
as gestational age at delivery, PROM and NLBW were analyzed and compared with
adults.
RESULTS:
In the
four years of our study, teen pregnancy rate fluctuated from 21.7% in 2010 to
16.8% in 2013. The rate of STIs for adult and teen pregnancies was similar, 21%
and 23%, respectively. Chlamydia was the most common STI (67.3%) for both
groups. PTB was more prevalent among adults affected with STIs than teens,
13.8% and 11.5%, respectively. NLBW was similar among teens and adults with
STIs. PROM complicated 9.1% of teen pregnancies with STIs, compared to 6.7% in
adults.
CONCLUSION:
There
was no significant correlation between the STIs and adverse pregnancy outcomes
on teen pregnancies for our population, except for PROM. This age group is
associated with a high-risk sexual behavior and poor adherence to treatment.
They would benefit from efforts to prevent unintended pregnancies and
infectious diseases.
No comments:
Post a Comment