Prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Pregnant Women at University College Hospital, Ibadan

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in pregnancy pose significant risks to maternal health and foetal wellbeing through vertical transmission, pregnancy complications, and immune compromise. This study determines the prevalence of selected STIs among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria. A cross-sectional study enrolled 200 pregnant women in the first and second trimesters over four months. Cervical swabs and blood samples were collected for syphilis serology by rapid plasma reagin and Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay, hepatitis B surface antigen by ELISA, and chlamydia trachomatis antigen by enzyme immunoassay. HIV status was obtained from documented antenatal screening results. Overall STI prevalence was 34.5 percent. Hepatitis B was the most prevalent (18 percent), followed by syphilis (8.5 percent), chlamydia (7 percent), and HIV (4 percent). Dual infections were identified in 6 percent of participants. Age below 25 years, single marital status, and low educational attainment were significantly associated with STI positivity. Only 12 percent of syphilis-positive women had received prior treatment. The study highlights the high burden of concurrent STIs in the UCH antenatal population and recommends universal STI screening at booking, integration of partner notification, and strengthened prevention counselling as routine antenatal standards at UCH Ibadan. Keywords: sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, UCH Ibadan, antenatal screening, syphilis