Chlamydia trachomatis infection in pregnancy and effect of treatment on outcome

Article Abstract:

Infection with chlamydia trachomatis, an exceedingly tiny bacteria, is the most prevalent, serious sexually transmitted disease. Conflicting research has, however, precluded drawing any firm conclusions about the effects of chlamydia infection during pregnancy. To resolve these questions, 11,544 consecutive new obstetric patients were screened for chlamydia. The rate of infection was found to be greatest in women under 17 years of age, and decreased with increasing patient age. A total of 2,433 pregnant patients with chlamydia were identified; 1,110 remained untreated and 1,323 were treated with antibiotics. The effectiveness of the treatment was confirmed by a subsequent culture. The untreated, chlamydia-positive mothers had an increased incidence of premature rupture of membranes, the sac within the uterus that encloses the fetus. In addition, babies born to the untreated, positive mothers were more likely to have low birth weights than the babies born to either the treated group or the chlamydia-negative group of mothers. It should be noted that babies born to the women who were treated for chlamydia actually had a higher rate of survival than babies born to the women who did not have chlamydia at all. The broad spectrum of the antibiotics used to treat chlamydia may have eliminated other infections unknown to the physician or patient, thus improving the overall health of the babies. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Research, Prevention, Chlamydia trachomatis

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Treatment of Chlamydial infections of the cervix during pregnancy

Article Abstract:

Chlamydial infections of the genitals during pregnancy are often transmitted to the newborn infant and may result in low birth weight, premature delivery, stillbirth or infant death. The effectiveness of treatment for chlamydial infections was assessed in 99 pregnant women with the infection, 12 of whom also had gonorrhea or urinary tract infections. Seven-day regimens of one or two grams per day of the antibiotic erythromycin were equally successful in treating the chlamydia infections. Success did not vary according to how long the patient had been pregnant. Four out of 91 patients treated with erythromycin discontinued treatment because of stomach or intestinal reactions, but all eight patients treated with four grams of sulfisoxazole (antibacterial) per day were cured. Additional studies are needed to determine the most effective treatment for chlamydial infections during pregnancy.

Care and treatment, Erythromycin, Dosage and administration, Sulfisoxazole

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Evaluation of the Use of Calendar Blister Packaging on Patient Compliance With STD Syndromic Treatment Regimens

Article Abstract:

User-friendly drug packaging can improve a patient's compliance with antibiotic treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Researchers compared standard drug packing with calendar blister packaged drugs for the treatment of three different STDs. Patients who used the calendar blister packaged antibiotics were more likely to comply with the treatment and were happier with the treatment. Compliance decreased as the dosing frequency became more complicated. Even so, those with the calendar blister packaged drugs were more compliant.

Methods, Antibiotics, Patient compliance, Packaging

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