Tag - STDs
17Apr

April is Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Awareness month

April is Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Awareness month. Cases of sexually transmitted diseases continue to increase in the U.S. The CDC’s new estimates show that there are about 20 million new infections in the United States each year, costing the American health care system nearly $16 billion in direct medical costs (cdc.gov). Because many cases of STDs go undiagnosed—and some common viral infections, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and genital herpes, are not reported to the CDC at all—the reported...

By OB/GYNs, Office Managers, Primary Care Providers, Specialists, , , 0 CommentsRead more...
09Oct

Breaking Reminder: Syphilis Screening Urged for All Pregnant Women

The number of congenital syphilis cases is rising at an alarming rate.  From 2012-2016 the rate of congenital syphilis increased by 87% (from 8.4 to 15.7 cases per 100,000 live births).1   According to historical data, up to 40% of pregnancies with untreated syphilis will result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death.  And those infants who live are at risk for skeletal abnormalities; hepatosplenomegaly; jaundice; anemia; and other complications which can cause developmental delays and seizures.2   Given that congenital syphilis is...

By OB/GYNs, , , , , , 0 CommentsRead more...
01Oct

CDC data released show STD diagnoses at record high in U.S.

The CDC has released preliminary surveillance data presented at the 2018 STD Prevention Conference in Washington, D.C.  Data analysis of the five year trend of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) showed a sharp increase in STDs for four consecutive years (see chart).   In 2017, almost 2.3 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were reported to the CDC, an increase of more than 200,000 cases from 2016 (see graph).   Young women continue to bear the greatest burden of chlamydia, having nearly...

By OB/GYNs, Primary Care Providers, , , 0 CommentsRead more...
06May

Annual Chlamydia Screening—No Pelvic Necessary!

Annual chlamydia screening is recommended for all sexually active women ages 15 to 24, as well as older women with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection. Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) are the most sensitive tests, and can be performed on easily obtainable specimens such as urine or vaginal swabs (either clinician- or patient-collected). The Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly 20 million new sexually transmitted infections...

By OB/GYNs, , , 0 CommentsRead more...