Sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates are high among pregnant Brazilian women, according to a study led by infectious disease specialist Angélica Espinosa Miranda of the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES) and pharmacist Pâmela Cristina Gaspar, head of the STI surveillance department at Brazil’s Ministry of Health. The group analyzed tests taken by 2,728 pregnant women from various regions of the country in 2022, finding that one in five (21%) was infected with at least one of the four pathogens that frequently cause STIs: the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis, which causes urinary infections; the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which causes gonorrhea; the bacteria Mycoplasma genitalium and the protozoa Trichomonas vaginalis, which are both responsible for infections of the genital and urinary organs. The prevalence of STIs was highest in the Southeast region (23.3%) and lowest in the Central-West (15.4%). The most common infection was chlamydia, detected in 9.9% of the women. Being young (aged between 15 and 24), having a family income of less than US$400 (equivalent to R$2,000), and having had more than one partner at some point in life were all factors that doubled the risk of having an STI. These treatable and curable infections increase the risk of low birth weights and even miscarriage (International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, February 29).
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