title: Partner notification of pregnant women infected with syphilis in Nairobi, Kenya.
abstract: We examined partner notification among syphilitic pregnant women in Nairobi. At delivery, 377 women were found to be rapid plasma reagin (RPR) reactive. Data were available for 94% of the partners of women who were tested during pregnancy; over 67% of the partners had received syphilis treatment while 23% had not sought treatment mainly because they felt healthy. Six per cent of the women had not informed their partners as they feared blame and/or violence. Adverse pregnancy outcome was related to lack of partner treatment during pregnancy (7% versus 19%, odds ratio (OR) 3.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9-10.0). Our data suggest that messages focusing on the health of the unborn child have a positive effect on partner notification and innovative and locally adapted strategies for partner notification need more attention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gichangi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fonck
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sekande-Kigondu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ndinya-Achola
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bwayo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kiragu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Claeys
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Temmerman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016358:Contact Tracing; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy