Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections during a pregnancy

Sexually transmitted infections can cause devastating complications during a pregnancy. If left untreated an STI can have serious long-term health effects on expecting parents, and the developing baby.

Aspirus St. Luke’s recently received $275,000 through a state grant from the Minnesota Department of Health. They hired Anna Fuhs, an STI Prevention Specialist to help reduce infant mortality rates caused by STIs.

According to a 2021 report from MN Department of Health, more than 300 infants died before their first birthday. Fuhs says Syphilis passed onto babies from the mother during child birth has been on the rise in recent years, along with other STIs.

“So the number one and two most reported sexually transmitted infections in Minnesota are chlamydia and gonorrhea. Both of those infections can have significant reproductive harm for females. They can also lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes.”

Health experts recommend expecting parents on their pregnancy journey to seek routine prenatal care checkups. These appointments help see if the mother and the baby are healthy throughout the pregnancy.

“The highest risk categories of people who are most likely to have infections is younger people, childbearing age people. So anybody childbearing age, pregnant, wanting to get pregnant, we just tell them routine screening is very important because you might not be aware that you have an infection.”

Fuhs says the most common sexually transmitted infections don’t have any symptoms. People probably don’t realize that they have an STI until they get a positive test result back. She says expecting parents should have three STI screenings during a pregnancy. Also people in general should have an annual health screening with their partner.

“We just recommend anybody who is pregnant or wanting to get pregnant to just call your provider and come in for prenatal care as soon as possible. Most STIs are very treatable. So as long as you’re coming in and you’re getting your routine screening, we can give you medications and treat most things.”