ABSTRACT
Current guidance in the UK for fertility services on the screening for sexually transmitted infections (STI) is solely directed towards Chlamydia trachomatis. Evidence used to formulate the guidance is based on research undertaken before more sensitive diagnostic methods were available and before testing of some organisms was even possible. This commentary outlines current STI trends, evidence available for STI effect on fertility and new diagnostic methods of screening. It aims to demonstrate that UK guidance should be updated and directed towards areas where further research is required.
Subject(s)
Mycoplasma Infections , Mycoplasma genitalium , Trichomonas vaginalis , Fertility , Humans , Neisseria gonorrhoeae , PrevalenceSubject(s)
Gonorrhea/diagnosis , Heterosexuality , Neisseria gonorrhoeae/isolation & purification , Pharyngeal Diseases/diagnosis , Pharynx/microbiology , Adult , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , England/epidemiology , Female , Gonorrhea/epidemiology , Gonorrhea/microbiology , Humans , Male , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques , Pharyngeal Diseases/drug therapy , Pharyngeal Diseases/microbiology , Treatment OutcomeSubject(s)
Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical/prevention & control , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/diagnosis , Quality of Health Care , Syphilis Serodiagnosis/methods , Syphilis, Congenital/prevention & control , Syphilis/diagnosis , Treponema pallidum/isolation & purification , Adult , England/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical/statistics & numerical data , Medical Audit , Medical Records , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology , Pregnancy Outcome , Prenatal Care/methods , Prenatal Care/standards , Prevalence , Syphilis/epidemiology , Syphilis/transmission , Syphilis, Congenital/diagnosis , Young AdultABSTRACT
Within the North East of England, there are an increasing number of complex patients presenting with urogenital pain; many of whom are under the care of multiple specialities. To understand and plan a cohesive strategy for this cohort, we have established a multi-disciplinary regional urogenital pain network meeting. The quarterly meetings allow us to share expertise, best practice and identify areas for improvement with the aim of therefore streamlining the patient journey and enhancing the quality of care patients with urogenital pain receive.
Subject(s)
Patient Care Team , Pelvic Pain/therapy , Quality Improvement , Quality of Health Care , England , HumansABSTRACT
In 2004, the Newcastle genitourinary medicine clinic launched a new website. To assess its value to users and impact on service demand, we surveyed those attending the clinic with a new episode between September and December 2005 by a questionnaire. One hundred and fifteen of 601 respondents (19%) visited the website. Fifty-nine percent of users were men with those aged between 35 and 44 ranking the highest percentage (31.7%) among those who visited the website. Fourteen (12.5%) would not have attended if they had not visited the website. One hundred and two (88.7%) found it easy to use and 81 (70.4%) looked for specific information of whom 73 (89%) were successful. Web users were more likely to present with an episode not requiring treatment possibly indicating increased demand promoted by our prevention information but less likely to have bacterial vaginosis, anaerobic balanitis and anogenital candidosis (not statistically significant).
