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Sexually transmitted infections could increase the risk of premature birth

bynewsdesk
November 30, 2021

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Having chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis – sometimes called “silent” infections due to a lack of noticeable symptoms in the early stages – has been linked to a higher risk of giving birth too early, according to one. study published Monday in the journal JAMA Network Open.
Premature birth – when a baby is born before 37 weeks gestation – is the leading cause of newborn complications and death worldwide, affecting 10% of live births in the United States, the authors wrote. ‘study. Also number of premature births slightly increased from 2016 to 2019, additional work was therefore necessary to identify the risk factors.
In the United States, cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis have also increased from 2013 to 2018, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Maternal STIs are known to harm developing fetuses, but previous studies on this link were inconclusive, the researchers wrote. premature birth and maternal infections.

Of all American mothers who gave birth between January 2016 and December 2019, 1.9% (267,260) had chlamydia, 0.3% had gonorrhea, and 0.1% were infected with syphilis before or during their pregnancy. Of all newborns, 8% (1,146,800) were born prematurely. Mothers with chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis were 1.04, 1.10, and 1.17 times more likely to have a moderately premature delivery – that is, between 32 and 36 weeks gestation – than women without STIs, respectively, according to the authors.

Think about my babies in the NICU and wear the mask

Gonorrhea and syphilis infections were most strongly associated with very premature births, that is, between 28 and 31 weeks.

“Even though some of the effects are small, STIs appear to increase your chances of preterm labor,” said Kelli Ryckman, study co-author and professor of epidemiology at the College of Public Health at the University of the Iowa.

How STIs Could Affect Time of Birth

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are common sexually transmitted infections that can affect people of all sexes who have vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected person, according to the CDC. Chlamydia can cause serious and permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive system. And both STIs can cause premature birth and be passed to babies during childbirth, eventually causing pneumonia and ear infections.
This study did not examine exactly how having STIs before or during pregnancy might affect the birth of infants, but the authors have a few ideas. Chlamydia and gonorrhea could move up into the vagina and cervix and influence the onset of chorioamnionitis, a condition in which bacteria infect the membranes surrounding the fetus and the fluid in which the fetus floats.
Syphilis – spread through direct contact with a sore of syphilis on or near the penis, vagina, anus, rectum or mouth – can cause a systemic infection and trigger the placenta to use its inflammatory response, suggested the researchers.
Premature babies may have a greater risk of premature death in adulthood, study finds

“All of these responses can cause inflammation and activate the maternal and / or fetal immune system, which is an established cause of premature birth,” the researchers suggested. “However, whether a maternal infection causes premature birth may also depend on the characteristics and concentration of the pathogen and the time of infection.”

The “massive sample size of this study” and other aspects might suggest precision, but “do not necessarily suggest validity,” wrote Drs. Emily Adhikari and Scott Roberts in a comment on the study. The doctors, who are affiliated with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Southwestern Medical Center at the University of Texas, Dallas, did not participate in the study.

Observational studies such as this cannot take into account individual behaviors and other factors potentially responsible for preterm birth, including chronic stress, gestational age at diagnosis, or lack of access to treatment. wrote Adhikari and Roberts.

“Without a better understanding of which infections have and have not been treated, we have little to guide a search for targeted interventions to prevent preterm births in a cohort of treatable infectious diseases,” they added.

Stay safe

Being in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with someone who has recently been tested for STIs and tested negative may lower your risk of getting an STI, according to the CDC. You can also protect yourself by using latex condoms correctly every time you have sex. However, be aware that you can still have syphilis sores in areas not covered by a condom.
Dating While You Have an STD

In women, symptoms of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis do not always appear due to the sometimes silent nature of the early stages of infection. But symptoms can include abnormal vaginal discharge or bleeding; burning sensation when peeing; rectal pain, discharge, itching, or bleeding; or painful stools. The first signs of syphilis are sores that can be firm, round, and painless.

The CDC and the US Task Force on Prevention Services recommend that pregnant women 25 years of age or younger, or at high risk, get tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea in the first trimester. High risk factors include a previous STI, new or multiple sex partners, sex with someone who has an STI, or irregular condom use. Women at higher risk should be screened again in the third trimester. All pregnant women should be screened for syphilis early, with second screening in the third trimester recommended for women at high risk, the CDC advises.

If you’re pregnant and “suspect you might have an STI, see your primary care doctor or obstetrician and get tested, then treat if you are infected,” Ryckman said. “If you are infected with an STI, be sure to discuss your risk of pregnancy complications with your obstetrician.”

Below are the CDC’s resources for more information and clinical references:

• CDC-INFO

1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)

TTY: 1-888-232-6348

• American Association for Sexual Health (ASHA)

919-361-8488

• Look for the blue box on this page to use the CDC’s “Find an STD Testing Site Near You” feature.

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Sources

1/ https://Google.com/

2/ https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/29/health/sexually-transmitted-infection-preterm-birth-wellness/index.html

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