Register      Login
Sexual Health Sexual Health Society
Publishing on sexual health from the widest perspective
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Acceptability and feasibility of sexually transmissible infection screening among pregnant women in Hanoi, Vietnam

Minh Nguyen https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9487-5654 A B F , Giang M. Le A , Hanh T. T. Nguyen D , Hinh Duc Nguyen C and Jeffrey D. Klausner E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, No. 1 Ton That Tung, Dong Da District, Hanoi, Vietnam.

B Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.

C Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hanoi Medical University, No. 1 Ton That Tung, Dong Da District, Hanoi, Vietnam.

D Department of Population, Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, No. 1 Ton That Tung, Dong Da District, Hanoi, Vietnam.

E Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

F Corresponding author. Email: binhminh@live.unc.edu

Sexual Health 16(2) 133-138 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH18041
Submitted: 13 March 2018  Accepted: 12 September 2018   Published: 11 February 2019

Abstract

Background: Vietnam currently has no antenatal screening program for curable sexually transmissible infections (STIs). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of curable STIs, correlates of infections and assess the acceptability and feasibility of antenatal STI screening in Hanoi, Vietnam. Methods: A study involving 800 pregnant women visiting Ha Dong Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam from June 2016 to July 2017, was conducted. Participants provided either a self-collected vaginal swab or urine sample to be screened for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV). Results: The prevalence of CT, NG and TV was 6.0% (95%CI: 4.5–7.9%), 0.13 (95%CI: 0.003–0.7%) and 0.8% (95%CI: 0.16–2.2%) respectively. CT infection was significantly associated with being <25 years and not being married to last sex partners at the multivariable level. Acceptability and feasibility were high, with 99.5% of eligible women consenting to testing, and 96% of infected women getting treatment. Most women considered STI screening during pregnancy to be important and were willing to notify their sex partners if they were infected. Conclusions: CT was the most common curable STI among pregnant women in Hanoi, Vietnam. Antenatal screening of curable STIs was highly acceptable and feasible in this population.

Additional keywords: antenatal screening, Chlamydia trachomatis, low-resource settings.


References

[1]  Adachi K, Nielsen-Saines K, Klausner JD. Chlamydia trachomatis infection in pregnancy: the global challenge of preventing adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. BioMed Res Int 2016; 2016 9315757
Chlamydia trachomatis infection in pregnancy: the global challenge of preventing adverse pregnancy and infant outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28074184PubMed |

[2]  Heumann CL, Quilter LA, Eastment MC, Heffron R, Hawes SE. Adverse birth outcomes and maternal Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection: a population-based cohort study in Washington State. Sex Transm Dis 2017; 44 266–71.
Adverse birth outcomes and maternal Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection: a population-based cohort study in Washington State.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28407641PubMed |

[3]  Woods CR. Gonococcal infections in neonates and young children. Semin Pediatr Infect Dis 2005; 16 258–70.
Gonococcal infections in neonates and young children.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16210106PubMed |

[4]  Medline A, Joseph Davey D, Klausner JD. Lost opportunity to save newborn lives: variable national antenatal screening policies for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. Int J STD AIDS 2017; 28 660–6.
Lost opportunity to save newborn lives: variable national antenatal screening policies for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 27440873PubMed |

[5]  World Health Organization. Guidelines for the management of sexually transmitted infections. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2004.

[6]  Sutton M, Sternberg M, Koumans EH, McQuillan G, Berman S, Markowitz L. The prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis infection among reproductive-age women in the United States, 2001–2004. Clin Infect Dis 2007; 45 1319–26.
| 17968828PubMed |

[7]  Detels R, Green AM, Klausner JD, Katzenstein D, Gaydos C, Handsfield H, Pequegnat W, Mayer K, Hartwell TD, Quinn TC. The incidence and correlates of symptomatic and asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in selected populations in five countries. Sex Transm Dis 2011; 38 503–9.
| 22256336PubMed |

[8]  Badman SG, Vallely LM, Toliman P, Kariwiga G, Lote B, Pomat W, Holmer C, Guy R, Luchters S, Morgan C, Garland SM, Tabrizi S, Whiley D, Rogerson SJ, Mola G, Wand H, Donovan B, Causer L, Kaldor J, Vallely A. A novel point-of-care testing strategy for sexually transmitted infections among pregnant women in high-burden settings: results of a feasibility study in Papua New Guinea. BMC Infect Dis 2016; 16 250
A novel point-of-care testing strategy for sexually transmitted infections among pregnant women in high-burden settings: results of a feasibility study in Papua New Guinea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 27268218PubMed |

[9]  Gaydos CA, Van Der Pol B, Jett-Goheen M, Barnes M, Quinn N, Clark C, Daniel GE, Dixon PB, Hook EW III, The CT/NG Study Group Performance of the Cepheid CT/NG Xpert Rapid PCR test for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Clin Microbiol 2013; 51 1666–72.
Performance of the Cepheid CT/NG Xpert Rapid PCR test for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23467600PubMed |

[10]  Gaydos CA, Klausner JD, Pai NP, Kelly H, Coltart C, Peeling RW. Rapid and point-of-care tests for the diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis in women and men. Sex Transm Infect 2017; 93 S31–5.
Rapid and point-of-care tests for the diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis in women and men.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28684611PubMed |

[11]  Goto A, Nguyen QV, Pham NM, Kato K, Cao TP, Le TH, Hoang QK, Le TQ, Nguyen BT, Katsube M, Ishii S, Yasumura S. Prevalence of and factors associated with reproductive tract infections among pregnant women in ten communes in Nghe An Province, Vietnam. J Epidemiol 2005; 15 163–72.
Prevalence of and factors associated with reproductive tract infections among pregnant women in ten communes in Nghe An Province, Vietnam.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16195636PubMed |

[12]  Vietnam Ministry of Health. Guidelines on diagnosis and management of sexually transmitted infections. Hanoi: Vietnam Ministry of Health; 2013. Available online at: https://thukyluat.vn/vb/quyet-dinh-4568-qd-byt-nam-2013-chan-doan-dieu-tri-benh-lay-truyen-qua-duong-tinh-duc-357c0.html [verified 20 October 2017]. [In Vietnamese]

[13]  Chen XS, Yin YP, Chen LP, Thuy NT, Zhang GY, Shi MQ, Hu LH, Yu YH. Sexually transmitted infections among pregnant women attending an antenatal clinic in Fuzhou, China. Sex Transm Dis 2006; 33 296–301.
Sexually transmitted infections among pregnant women attending an antenatal clinic in Fuzhou, China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16554698PubMed |

[14]  Wynn A, Ramogola-Masire D, Gaolebale P, Moshashane N, Offorjebe OA, Arena K, Klausner JD, Morroni C. Acceptability and feasibility of sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment among pregnant women in Gaborone, Botswana, 2015. BioMed Res Int 2016; 2016 1251238
Acceptability and feasibility of sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment among pregnant women in Gaborone, Botswana, 2015.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 27119076PubMed |

[15]  Cabeza J, García PJ, Segura E, García P, Escudero F, La Rosa S, León S, Klausner JD. Feasibility of Chlamydia trachomatis screening and treatment in pregnant women in Lima, Peru: a prospective study in two large urban hospitals. Sex Transm Infect 2015; 91 7–10.
Feasibility of Chlamydia trachomatis screening and treatment in pregnant women in Lima, Peru: a prospective study in two large urban hospitals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 25107711PubMed |

[16]  Bristow CC, Mathelier P, Ocheretina O, Benoit D, Pape JW, Wynn A, Klausner JD. Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis screening and treatment of pregnant women in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Int J STD AIDS 2017; 28 1130–4.
Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis screening and treatment of pregnant women in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28134005PubMed |

[17]  Chernesky MA, Hook EW, Martin DH, Lane J, Johnson R, Jordan JA, Fuller D, Willis DE, Fine PM, Janda WM, Schachter J. Women find it easy and prefer to collect their own vaginal swabs to diagnose Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections. Sex Transm Dis 2005; 32 729–33.
Women find it easy and prefer to collect their own vaginal swabs to diagnose Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16314768PubMed |

[18]  Fielder RL, Carey KB, Carey MP. Acceptability of STI testing using self-collected vaginal swabs among college women. J Am Coll Health 2013; 61 46–53.
| 23305544PubMed |

[19]  Hsieh YH, Howell MR, Gaydos JC, McKee KT, Quinn TC, Gaydos CA. Preference among female army recruits for use of self-administrated vaginal swabs or urine to screen for Chlamydia trachomatis genital infections. Sex Transm Dis 2003; 30 769–73.
Preference among female army recruits for use of self-administrated vaginal swabs or urine to screen for Chlamydia trachomatis genital infections.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 14520176PubMed |

[20]  Serlin M, Shafer MA, Tebb K, Gyamfi AA, Moncada J, Schachter J, Wibbelsman C. What sexually transmitted disease screening method does the adolescent prefer? Adolescents’ attitudes toward first-void urine, self-collected vaginal swab, and pelvic examination. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2002; 156 588–91.
What sexually transmitted disease screening method does the adolescent prefer? Adolescents’ attitudes toward first-void urine, self-collected vaginal swab, and pelvic examination.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 12038892PubMed |

[21]  Norman JE, Wu O, Twaddle S, Macmillan S, McMillan L, Templeton A, McKenzie H, Noone A, Allardice G, Reid M. An evaluation of economics and acceptability of screening for Chlamydia trachomatis infection, in women attending antenatal, abortion, colposcopy and family planning clinics in Scotland, UK. BJOG 2004; 111 1261–8.
An evaluation of economics and acceptability of screening for Chlamydia trachomatis infection, in women attending antenatal, abortion, colposcopy and family planning clinics in Scotland, UK.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 15521872PubMed |

[22]  Pereboom MT, Spelten ER, Mannien J, Rours GI, Morre SA, Schellevis FG, Hutton EK. Knowledge and acceptability of Chlamydia trachomatis screening among pregnant women and their partners; a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2014; 14 704
Knowledge and acceptability of Chlamydia trachomatis screening among pregnant women and their partners; a cross-sectional study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 25011479PubMed |

[23]  Bilardi JE, De Guingand DL, Temple-Smith MJ, Garland S, Fairley CK, Grover S, Wallace E, Hocking JS, Tabrizi S, Pirotta M, Chen MY. Young pregnant women’s views on the acceptability of screening for chlamydia as part of routine antenatal care. BMC Public Health 2010; 10 505
Young pregnant women’s views on the acceptability of screening for chlamydia as part of routine antenatal care.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 20723264PubMed |

[24]  Alam N, Chamot E, Vermund SH, Streatfield K, Kristensen S. Partner notification for sexually transmitted infections in developing countries: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 2010; 10 19
Partner notification for sexually transmitted infections in developing countries: a systematic review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 20082718PubMed |

[25]  Unger JA, Matemo D, Pintye J, Drake A, Kinuthia J, McClelland RS, John-Stewart G. Patient-delivered partner treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas infection among pregnant and postpartum women in Kenya. Sex Transm Dis 2015; 42 637–42.
Patient-delivered partner treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas infection among pregnant and postpartum women in Kenya.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26462189PubMed |

[26]  Hoang TN, Van TN, Gammeltoft T, Meyrowitsch DW, Nguyen TTH, Rasch V. Association between intimate partner violence during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Vietnam: a prospective cohort study. PLoS One 2016; 11 e0162844
Association between intimate partner violence during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Vietnam: a prospective cohort study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 27631968PubMed |

[27]  Tran TD, Biggs B-A, Tran T, Simpson JA, de Mello MC, Hanieh S, Nguyen TT, Dwyer T, Fisher J. Perinatal common mental disorders among women and the social and emotional development of their infants in rural Vietnam. J Affect Disord 2014; 160 104–12.
Perinatal common mental disorders among women and the social and emotional development of their infants in rural Vietnam.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24447613PubMed |