Chlamydia screening in abortion services
Guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2004) states that best practice is to offer testing for lower genital tract organisms (including chlamydia) for all women undergoing abortion with appropriate management positive cases. For chlamydia, management of positive cases must include partner notification (PN), testing and treatment to prevent re-infection. The abortion service provider may not be the most appropriate organisation to provide this as it may compromise confidentiality but positive cases should be referred appropriately to ensure that the PN process is completed.
Chlamydia screening should be part of all SLAs with abortion service providers. Some abortion providers are commissioned by several PCTs. Where each PCT has a different form or process for chlamydia screening this can cause confusion and a single system agreed with the provider makes things easier.
At present approximately 4% of screens in the NCSP come from abortion services and of these approximately 9% are positive.
Further reading:
Chlamydia screening in BPAS TOP services, Mallinson et al, 2005 Mallinson H, Hopwood J., Skidmore S., Fenton K., Phillips C., Jones I., Provision of Chlamydia testing in a nationwide service offering termination of pregnancy: With data capture to monitor prevalence of infection. Sexually Transmitted Infection 2002;78:416-21
Uthayakumar S, Tenuwara W. and Mait H. Is it evidence-based practice? Prophylactic antibiotics for termination of pregnancy to minimize post-abortion pelvic infection? International Journal of STD & AIDS > Volume 11, Number 3 > Pp. 168-169
Groom T.M, Stewart P., Kruger H., Bell G. The value of a screen and treat policy for Chlamydia trachomatis in women attending for termination of pregnancy. Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, Volume 27, Number 2, 1 April 2001 , pp. 69-72(4)
Guidance from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2004) states that best practice is to offer testing for lower genital tract organisms (including chlamydia) for all women undergoing abortion with appropriate management positive cases. For chlamydia, management of positive cases must include partner notification (PN), testing and treatment to prevent re-infection. The abortion service provider may not be the most appropriate organisation to provide this as it may compromise confidentiality but positive cases should be referred appropriately to ensure that the PN process is completed.
Chlamydia screening should be part of all SLAs with abortion service providers. Some abortion providers are commissioned by several PCTs. Where each PCT has a different form or process for chlamydia screening this can cause confusion and a single system agreed with the provider makes things easier.
At present approximately 4% of screens in the NCSP come from abortion services and of these approximately 9% are positive.
Further reading:
Chlamydia screening in BPAS TOP services, Mallinson et al, 2005 Mallinson H, Hopwood J., Skidmore S., Fenton K., Phillips C., Jones I., Provision of Chlamydia testing in a nationwide service offering termination of pregnancy: With data capture to monitor prevalence of infection. Sexually Transmitted Infection 2002;78:416-21
Uthayakumar S, Tenuwara W. and Mait H. Is it evidence-based practice? Prophylactic antibiotics for termination of pregnancy to minimize post-abortion pelvic infection? International Journal of STD & AIDS > Volume 11, Number 3 > Pp. 168-169
Groom T.M, Stewart P., Kruger H., Bell G. The value of a screen and treat policy for Chlamydia trachomatis in women attending for termination of pregnancy. Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, Volume 27, Number 2, 1 April 2001 , pp. 69-72(4)
The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) is a control and prevention programme targeted at the highest risk group for chlamydia infection in England, young people under 25 who are sexually active.
Chlamydia is often asymptomatic so a large proportion of cases remain undiagnosed, but infection can be diagnosed easily (young people can do the test themselves), and treated effectively.
To find your local Chlamydia Screening Office or to register with us enter your post code or select your region on the map
Chlamydia is often asymptomatic so a large proportion of cases remain undiagnosed, but infection can be diagnosed easily (young people can do the test themselves), and treated effectively.
To find your local Chlamydia Screening Office or to register with us enter your post code or select your region on the map
© 2010 National Chlamydia Screening Programme
