The forgotten link between sexual health and pregnancy.

Women presenting to midwives in pregnancy have one forgotten risk factor: sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Pregnant women have had unprotected sexual intercourse at least once. Statistics highlight the increasing prevalence of STIs, with women aged under 25 being at high risk due to reasons identified by the Department of Health (DH) (2012; 2013). Focusing on chlamydia in pregnancy, the risks to the neonate are severe. There are no health campaigns about safe sex in pregnancy, so women cannot access this information. The screening and education around STIs could be dramatically improved; women should be screened for chlamydia at booking, with this repeated if they have a new partner (which is a strong possibility as 50 per cent of pregnancies are unplanned). To increase awareness of this issue, further education for midwives is essential by collaborating with sexual health services and developing a referral pathway. Antenatal education about safe sex in pregnancy can then be introduced and health campaigns developed.