Sexually Transmitted Diseases With Emphasis on Syphilis Among Pregnant Women in Ketchene A Wraja, Addis Ababa."
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Date
1993-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The research design was a community based crosssectional
study; it was conducted among second and third
trimester pregnant women by random sampling in Ketchene
area (previously called Ketchene Awraja) which is part of
Addis Ababa city. The objective was to determine the
prevalence rate of syphilis and to assess knowledge of
pregnant women regarding sexually transmitted diseases
with emphasis on syphilis.
A total of 410 pregnant women in the second and
third trimester from 16 kebeles of the district were
included in the study . They underwent a physical
e xamination, laboratory examinations were done and
pretested questionnaires were administered in the order
mentioned.
The study showed that 11% of second and third
trimester women were positive by RPR - blood examination
test for treponema palladium syphilis and 7 . 1% were
positive by TPHA conf irmatory-test for treponema
palladium syphilis.
Knowledge regarding the existence of STDs was
generally high : the percentages who mentioned various
STDs when asked to list those they knew were HIV/AIDS
(90.2%), syphilis (89.3%), Gonorrhoea (86.8%), chancroid
(40%) and LGV (20%) respectively. Knowledge regarding thecauses of STDs is inadequate, particularly with regard to
causes of gonorrhoea, but knowledge regarding treatment
and prevention is fair.
The frequency of asymptomatic syphilis was high; more
than half of the 29 TPHA confirmed syphilis cases had no
symptoms; likewise, the signs/symptoms had a low
positive predic.tive value, that is very few of those with
positive signs/symptoms of syphilis were actually
positive by the TPHA-test. This may be because they had
other STDs (LGV, Chancroid, Herpes genitalis ) which have
also similar clinical manifestations .
In this study there was no association between women ' s
knowledge regarding STDs and their syphilis status as
measured by the TPHA test.
It is recommended to do vaginal examination and swabs
for gram stain and wet-mount routinely during antenatal
and family planning sessions. screening for syphilis
using at least RPR test should be a routine procedure in
pregnant women.
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Keywords
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, With Emphasis on Syphilis