Tags

Type your tag names separated by a space and hit enter

High frequency of sexually transmitted diseases among pregnant women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: need for intervention.
East Afr Med J. 1996 Oct; 73(10):675-8.EA

Abstract

In order to determine the prevalence and characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in pregnant women (PW) attending a primary health care antenatal clinic (ANC) in metropolitan Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, a randomly selected sample of PW in their second or third trimesters were invited to participate at their first visit. They were interviewed using a questionnaire and underwent genital examination. Genital swabs were obtained for microscopy and/or culture isolation of Candida albicans, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Blood specimens were also obtained for serological testing for syphilis and for antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A total of 777 PW aged 14 to 40 years were seen. Parities ranged from 0 to 10. Prevalence of syphilis, trichomoniasis, gonorrhoea and HIV infection were 4.0%, 22.7%, 3.6% and 15.2%, respectively. At least one acute STD (excluding HIV infection) was found in 32.8% of the PW. The prevalence of multiple STDs (excluding HIV infection) was higher in teenagers (45.3%, 77/170) than in PW in other age groups (29.2%, 177/607) (p < 0.001). The prevalence of HIV infection in teenage PW was 10.0%. Most STDs were least prevalent in PW who were married monogamously. Of the 732 PW who had one or more genital infections (including infection with Candida species), 669 (91.4%) had one or more genital complaints. However, most of the genital complaints were not disease specific. Since this study has shown that the prevalences of acute STDs were high in PW, especially in teenagers, it is recommended that all PW in Tanzania should be screened for STDs syndromically including the use of appropriate clinical and laboratory examination whenever possible.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Mwakagile D
Department of Microbiology/Immunology, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Swai AB
No affiliation info available
Sandström E
No affiliation info available
Urassa E
No affiliation info available
Biberfeld G
No affiliation info available
Mhalu FS
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AdolescentAdultFemaleHealth Services Needs and DemandHumansPregnancyPregnancy Complications, InfectiousPrevalenceRisk FactorsSampling StudiesSexually Transmitted DiseasesSurveys and QuestionnairesTanzaniaUrban Health

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

8997849

Citation

Mwakagile, D, et al. "High Frequency of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Pregnant Women in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania: Need for Intervention." East African Medical Journal, vol. 73, no. 10, 1996, pp. 675-8.
Mwakagile D, Swai AB, Sandström E, et al. High frequency of sexually transmitted diseases among pregnant women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: need for intervention. East Afr Med J. 1996;73(10):675-8.
Mwakagile, D., Swai, A. B., Sandström, E., Urassa, E., Biberfeld, G., & Mhalu, F. S. (1996). High frequency of sexually transmitted diseases among pregnant women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: need for intervention. East African Medical Journal, 73(10), 675-8.
Mwakagile D, et al. High Frequency of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Pregnant Women in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania: Need for Intervention. East Afr Med J. 1996;73(10):675-8. PubMed PMID: 8997849.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - High frequency of sexually transmitted diseases among pregnant women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: need for intervention. AU - Mwakagile,D, AU - Swai,A B, AU - Sandström,E, AU - Urassa,E, AU - Biberfeld,G, AU - Mhalu,F S, PY - 1996/10/1/pubmed PY - 1996/10/1/medline PY - 1996/10/1/entrez KW - Adolescents KW - Adolescents, Female KW - Africa KW - Africa South Of The Sahara KW - Age Factors KW - Demographic Factors KW - Developing Countries KW - Diseases KW - Eastern Africa KW - English Speaking Africa KW - Examinations And Diagnoses KW - Gonorrhea KW - Hiv Infections KW - Infections KW - Measurement KW - Population KW - Population Characteristics KW - Pregnant Women KW - Prevalence KW - Reproductive Tract Infections KW - Research Methodology KW - Research Report KW - Screening KW - Sexually Transmitted Diseases KW - Syphilis KW - Tanzania KW - Viral Diseases KW - Youth SP - 675 EP - 8 JF - East African medical journal JO - East Afr Med J VL - 73 IS - 10 N2 - In order to determine the prevalence and characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in pregnant women (PW) attending a primary health care antenatal clinic (ANC) in metropolitan Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, a randomly selected sample of PW in their second or third trimesters were invited to participate at their first visit. They were interviewed using a questionnaire and underwent genital examination. Genital swabs were obtained for microscopy and/or culture isolation of Candida albicans, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Blood specimens were also obtained for serological testing for syphilis and for antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A total of 777 PW aged 14 to 40 years were seen. Parities ranged from 0 to 10. Prevalence of syphilis, trichomoniasis, gonorrhoea and HIV infection were 4.0%, 22.7%, 3.6% and 15.2%, respectively. At least one acute STD (excluding HIV infection) was found in 32.8% of the PW. The prevalence of multiple STDs (excluding HIV infection) was higher in teenagers (45.3%, 77/170) than in PW in other age groups (29.2%, 177/607) (p < 0.001). The prevalence of HIV infection in teenage PW was 10.0%. Most STDs were least prevalent in PW who were married monogamously. Of the 732 PW who had one or more genital infections (including infection with Candida species), 669 (91.4%) had one or more genital complaints. However, most of the genital complaints were not disease specific. Since this study has shown that the prevalences of acute STDs were high in PW, especially in teenagers, it is recommended that all PW in Tanzania should be screened for STDs syndromically including the use of appropriate clinical and laboratory examination whenever possible. SN - 0012-835X UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/8997849/High_frequency_of_sexually_transmitted_diseases_among_pregnant_women_in_Dar_es_Salaam_Tanzania:_need_for_intervention_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -