Screening for Gonococcal and Chlamydial Infections in the Third Trimester

A retrospective study was conducted at our institution of all patients who delivered between May 2016 and April 2017. A change of practice had been instituted, which involved obstetricians testing for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis universally in the first and third trimesters. Medical records were reviewed for N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis results and for risk factors traditionally associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A substantial proportion of patients (10.7%) had not undergone screening during pregnancy. We also identified third-trimester cases of infection in asymptomatic patients who had no traditional risk factors STI acquisition, which raised the question of optimal timing for STI screening during pregnancy.