title: Testing the fathers: carrying out HIV and STI tests on partners of pregnant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Opt out antenatal HIV testing has significantly reduced mother to child transmission of HIV, but seroconversion during pregnancy from undiagnosed HIV positive male partners remains a risk. The authors report on a pilot initiative for sexual health and HIV screening for male partners of women attending antenatal ultrasound examination at Homerton Hospital, London.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men attending with their female partners for routine ultrasound examination between 1 August 2010 and 31 January 2011 were offered on-site serology for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and hepatitis C and urine testing for Neiserria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  were followed up through the genitourinary medicine service. Referral pathways were established for men with positive results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1243 male partners of 2400 women attended ultrasound examinations, of whom 430 accepted testing (acceptance rate 35% and coverage rate 18%). Median age was 32 years (range 19-52). 112/430 (26%) male partners were of black ethnicity. 41% had previously had a HIV test. There was no difference in prior HIV testing between whites and non-whites. 16 infections were diagnosed, including two cases of hepatitis C, eight cases of hepatitis B and six cases of C trachomatis. No HIV diagnoses were made.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors have shown that it is acceptable and feasible to engage heterosexual men for testing in this setting. Of those men who accepted HIV testing, more than half had never been previously tested. 4% of men tested had an infection, which had the potential to affect the outcome of the pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sexual Health, Homerton Hospital, Homerton Row, London E9 6SR, UK. rdhairyawan@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dhairyawan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Creighton
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sivyour
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000635:transmission