title: Chlamydia trachomatis screening in pregnancy in New Zealand: translation of national guidelines into practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI), and routine antenatal screening to reduce the risk of vertical transmission is recommended in New Zealand (NZ).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the proportion of pregnant women who have been screened for C. trachomatis in selected hospitals since the 2008 NZ Ministry of Health Chlamydia Management Guidelines were published, and to examine variation by age and ethnicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical audits were undertaken at four NZ hospitals, using electronic databases to determine if C. trachomatis screening had occurred.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 24%, 31%, 35% and 61% of pregnant women were screened in Tauranga (2010), Auckland (2013), Waikato (2013) and Middlemore (2011) hospitals, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite increases in the proportion of pregnant women screened in Auckland and Middlemore compared to pre-2008, and higher proportions of young women and Maori women screened, overall antenatal screening for C. trachomatis remains suboptimal. Several strategies are presented to support universal screening in pregnancy, as recommended by the NZ Ministry of Health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. m.wise@auckland.ac.nz.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Michelle R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.affiliation: Women's Health, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sadler
authors.affiliation: Pacific Women's Health Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Counties Manukau District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Alec
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ekeroma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult