A new study by researchers from Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) and the University of Alabama suggests adherence to guideline-based laboratory testing and treatment of pregnant women for two of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is suboptimal in the United States, with potentially dire effects on maternal and newborn health.
The study, titled Chlamydia and gonorrhea testing in pregnancy: Time to improve adherence and update recommendations, was published in the peer reviewed Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease, the official journal of the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology. It is based on deidentified results of lab tests performed by Quest in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for 4,077,212 pregnancies.
The findings suggest gaps in guideline-based care, intended to reduce the risk of infection and medical complications. Untreated chlamydia and gonorrhea can raise risks of infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease in women. The risk of transmission during birth is approximately 50%, raising the potential for newborns to develop infections of the eye (conjunctivitis), lungs (pneumonia) and other health problems.
