Sexually transmitted diseases and human immunodeficiency virus infections in women attending an antenatal clinic in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among women attending an antenatal clinic in Abidjan to determine the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV infection, and to identify factors associated with the presence of gonococcal and/or chlamydial cervical infection. Among 546 women, 3.7% had a gonococcal infection and 5.5% had a chlamydial infection. The seroprevalence of syphilis and HIV was 1.1% and 16.2% respectively. Gonococcal and/or chlamydial cervical infection was associated with young age, the presence of endocervical mucopus and with more than 10 polymorphonuclear leucocytes per high power field in a vaginal smear. None of these associated factors had a large enough predictive value to allow its use as a diagnostic criterion. Sexually transmitted diseases are common in pregnant women in Abidjan. The development of rapid, inexpensive diagnostic tests for STD is a priority to improve the care of women attending antenatal clinics in the developing world.