title: Universal prophylaxis for Chlamydia trachomatis and anaerobic vaginosis in women attending for suction termination of pregnancy: an audit of short-term health gains.
abstract: A previous study of infection and morbidity in 400 women attending for termination of pregnancy (TOP) had shown that 32 (8%) harboured cervical Chlamydia trachomatis and 112 (28%) had anaerobic (bacterial) vaginosis (AV). Fifty-three per cent of the women with preoperative C. trachomatis had AV. Thirty of the 32 women with chlamydial infection were followed up and 19 (63%) of these developed post-abortion upper genital tract infection, 7 of whom needed re-admission. In view of the high morbidity in women with chlamydial infection attending for TOP, anti-bacterial prophylaxis with metronidazole suppositories and oral oxytetracycline was introduced for women attending for suction termination of pregnancy (STOP). An audit of the clinical and financial benefits and/or losses was carried out. The audit of 1951 consecutive patients attending for STOP revealed that 132 (6.8%) had chlamydial infection with equivocal results reported in a further 2 patients. One hundred and eight of the 134 women responded to recall. Full genital tract infection screening was carried out in 105 of the 108 recalled patients of whom 5 had repeat positive cervical swabs for C. trachomatis, one had Trichomonas vaginalis, 24 had candidiasis and 17 had anaerobic vaginosis, none had gonorrhoea. Thirteen (12%) of the 108 women had pelvic infection as previously defined, none of whom required re-admission. At least pound sterling 20,000 has been saved each year in our Trust following the introduction of pre-abortion chlamydial screening and universal antichlamydial and anti-anaerobe prophylaxis. The introduction of universal prophylaxis against C. trachomatis and AV has profoundly reduced morbidity in patients attending for TOP and has also resulted in substantial financial savings.
authors.affiliation: Singleton Hospital, Swansea NHS Trust, UK.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Blackwell
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Emery
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wareham
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010118:Oxytetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008795:Metronidazole; D010118:Oxytetracycline