The relationship between pregnancy and sexual risk taking.
OBJECTIVE
We attempted to determine whether risks of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases differ between pregnant and nonpregnant women.


METHODS
Women attending clinics in Brooklyn (332 pregnant and 1069 nonpregnant) were interviewed and tested for Trichomonas vaginalis and Chlamydia trachomatis. Independent-sample t tests were conducted via SPSSX (SPSS Inc., Chicago) to assess differences in risk behavior across pregnancy status.


RESULTS
In the pregnant sample 17.2% had positive test results for chlamydia and 23.4% had T vaginalis. In the nonpregnant women the rates were 10.9% and 17.7%, respectively (p<0.01). Pregnant respondents used condoms less consistently than nonpregnant women (p<0.01). Although nonpregnant women reported a higher frequency of sexual activity and more sexual partners in the previous month, the strength of those relationships was weak.


CONCLUSIONS
We have found that pregnancy does not represent a time of reduced sexual risks. The differences in self-reported risk, with the exception of consistency of condom use, all showed very weak indexes of strength. Providers of obstetric services should incorporate "safer sex" messages into routine prenatal care.
Wilson
T E
TE
Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Albany, USA.
Minkoff
H
H
McCalla
S
S
Petterkin
C
C
Jaccard
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D017280:Condoms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis / Q000453:epidemiology