Barriers to prenatal care and poor pregnancy outcomes among women with syphilis in the Russian Federation

Int J STD AIDS. 2007 Jun;18(6):392-5. doi: 10.1258/095646207781024748.

Abstract

We studied predictors of no prenatal care (PNC) and influence of no PNC on pregnancy outcome in a multisite study of 1071 women with syphilis in Russia. We assessed PNC utilization, HIV testing, syphilis treatment, and pregnancy outcome. We found that 37% of women with syphilis received no PNC, and 1% was HIV infected. Lacking official residency status was independently related to no PNC (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 8.1; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 5.3-12.3). Among women with inadequately treated current syphilis, those without PNC were more likely to have a stillborn infant than those with PNC (25% vs. 3%, odds ratio [OR] 9.5, 95% CI 4.0-23.5). Women with adequately treated current syphilis and no PNC were more likely to deliver a low birth weight (OR 3.8; 95% CI 1.8-8.1) or preterm infant (OR 3.9; 95%CI 1.8-8.7). Women with previous or current syphilis and no PNC were significantly more likely to abandon their infants.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Health Services Accessibility*
  • Humans
  • Infant Mortality
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical* / prevention & control
  • Male
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / economics
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / microbiology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / therapy*
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Prenatal Care*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Russia
  • Syphilis / economics
  • Syphilis / prevention & control
  • Syphilis / therapy
  • Syphilis / transmission*