Sexually transmitted diseases during pregnancy: screening, diagnostic, and treatment practices among prenatal care providers in Georgia.
BACKGROUND
Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) during pregnancy are associated with adverse outcomes. We conducted a prenatal care provider survey to determine STD screening, diagnosis, and treatment practices.


METHODS
Standard questionnaires were mailed to Georgia-licensed obstetrician/ gynecologists, family practitioners, and nurse-midwives (N = 3,082) in 1998.


RESULTS
Of the 1,300 care providers who returned the survey, 565 (44%) provided prenatal care, 390 (57%) were male, and 396 (70%) were obstetrician/ gynecologists. Overall, 553 prenatal care providers (98%) reported screening all pregnant patients for syphilis, 551 (98%) for hepatitis B, 501 (89%) for trichomonas, 474 (84%) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 401 (71%) for gonorrhea, 403 (71%) for chlamydia, 475 (84%) for group B streptococci, and 130 (23%) for bacterial vaginosis (BV) (high risk). Less than 10% used amplification tests for chlamydia or gonorrhea. Most providers used appropriate regimens to treat STD in pregnant women. A written office policy on testing for BV or HIV was associated with increased screening.


CONCLUSIONS
Provider education is needed about diagnosis and treatment of STD during pregnancy.
Weisbord
J S
JS
Epidemiology Program Office, and the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
Koumans
E H
EH
Toomey
K E
KE
Grayson
C
C
Markowitz
L E
LE
D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires