Abstract

The prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in pregnant and non-pregnant women in Calabar was studied. Blood, high vaginal swabs (HVS) and Endocervical swab (ECS) samples were aseptically collected from five hundred and sixty two (562) antenatal pregnant women attending two tertiary hospitals in Calabar (the General Hospital and the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital ) and randomly from one hundred and eight (108) non-pregnant women in Calabar, and investigated for various etiologic agents of STDs including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Candida albicans, Trichomonas vaginalis, Gardnerella vaginalis (Bacterial vaginosis), Treponema pallidum (Syphilis), Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg), Human immunodeficiency virus and Chlamydiae species, using standard microbiological methods. The HVS and the ECS swabs were analyzed using direct wet smear, Gram-stained smear and culture techniques while blood samples were examined serologically using standard proprietory reagents. Out of the 562 pregnant and 108 non-pregnant women examined, 250(44.5%) and 51(47.2%) were infected with various aetiologic agents respectively. In pregnant women, Candida albicans had the highest percentage of infections 121(21.5%) followed by HIV 38(6.8%) and Chlamydiae species 35(6.2%). Others were Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) 8(1.4%); Trichomonas vaginalis, 29(5.2%); Gardnerella vaginalis (Bacterial vaginosis), 12(2.1%) and Treponema pallidum (Syphilis) 7(1.2%). Neisseria gonorrhoeae was not isolated among the pregnant women. In non-pregnant women, Candida albicans also had the highest percentage of infections 23(21.3%) followed by Chlamydia species 11(10.2%) and HIV 9(8.3%). Others were Trichomonas vaginalis 4(3.7%); Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) 3(2.8) and Gardnerella vaginalis, 1(0.9). Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Treponema pallidum were not isolated. The prevalent rates of infections were inversely associated with increase in age and educational status. Increased pre/post conception screening for STDs is essential in preventing disease transmission and adverse pregnancy outcomes among these groups.