Sexually transmitted infections in pregnancy

Abstract

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) occur during pregnancy and can have serious consequences for women and infants. National guidelines include recommendations for STI screening in all pregnant women; however women continue to be underscreened, and risks related to infection during pregnancy persist. Nurses caring for women of childbearing age should be aware of screening guidelines and approaches for testing. This column reviews two recent studies: The first examines compliance with recommended prenatal STI testing and the second highlights a novel concept to reduce the female-gender-specific approach to STI testing during pregnancy.

Keywords: STI; pregnancy; sexually transmitted infection.