Gonorrhea in pregnancy

Abstract

Pregnancy complicated by gonorrhea was studied in 178 patients delivered of their infants over an eight-year period. There was an increased incidence of chorioamnionitis (p less than 0.05) and intrauterine growth retardation (p less than 0.05) in these patients when compared with matched controls. In 19 patients with positive gonorrheal cultures at delivery, there was a significant increase in the incidence of premature rupture of membranes (p less than 0.05), chorioamnionitis (p less than 0.05), and prematurity (p less than 0.05). Recurrence or persistence of positive cultures was found in 18 per cent of the patients with pregnancy gonorrhea. Two required hospitalization for intensive parenteral treatment when repeated attempts at outpatient management were unsuccessful.