Postpartum Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections that are diagnosed during the postpartum period (defined as the 3 months after delivery).

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study of women delivered of infants at >or=28 weeks of gestation at an urban hospital from 1992 through 1998, including each woman's first delivery during this period. Postpartum C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae testing were routine. Data were extracted from an electronic medical record system.

Results: Of 13,086 women with eligible deliveries, 7258 women (55.5%) underwent postpartum C trachomatis tests; 191 of those women (2.6%) had positive test results. Similarly, 7148 women (54.6%) underwent postpartum N gonorrhoeae tests; 95 of those women (1.3%) had positive test results. Most women with positive postpartum tests had prenatal testing (182/191 with C trachomatis; 94/95 with N gonorrhoeae ), and the last prenatal test results were usually negative (153/182 women with negative prenatal C trachomatis testing; 91/94 women with negative prenatal N gonorrhoeae testing).

Conclusion: Substantial rates of C trachomatis and N gonorrhoeae were found in postpartum women, most of whom had negative results on the last prenatal test.