Partner notification of pregnant women infected with syphilis in Nairobi, Kenya

Authors

P Gichangi, University of Kenya.
K Fonck, University of Kenya.
C Sekande Kigondu, University of Kenya.
J Ndinya Achola, University of Kenya.
J Bwayo, University of Kenya.
D Kiragu, University of Kenya.
P Claeys, University of Kenya.
Marleen Temmerman, Aga Khan UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Department

Obstetrics and Gynaecology (East Africa)

Abstract

We examined partner notification among syphilitic pregnant women in Nairobi. At delivery, 377 women were found to be rapid plasma reagin (RPR) reactive. Data were available for 94% of the partners of women who were tested during pregnancy; over 67% of the partners had received syphilis treatment while 23% had not sought treatment mainly because they felt healthy. Six per cent of the women had not informed their partners as they feared blame and/or violence. Adverse pregnancy outcome was related to lack of partner treatment during pregnancy (7% versus 19%, odds ratio (OR) 3.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9-10.0). Our data suggest that messages focusing on the health of the unborn child have a positive effect on partner notification and innovative and locally adapted strategies for partner notification need more attention.

Comments

This work was published before the author joined Aga Khan University.

Publication (Name of Journal)

Int J STD AIDS

Recommended Citation

Gichangi, P., Fonck, K., Sekande-Kigondu, C., Ndinya-Achola, J., Bwayo, J., Kiragu, D., ... & Temmerman, M. (2000). Partner notification of pregnant women infected with syphilis in Nairobi, Kenya. International journal of STD & AIDS, 11(4), 257-261.