STD's and Pregnancy

Are STD's in pregnant women common a common occurance? According to the Center for Disease Control there are an estimated 800,000 pregnant women infected with Bacterial Vaginosis, 800,000 infected with Herpes Simplex, and 80,000 infected with Chlamydia each year. An estimated 2 million pregnant women are infected with an STD each year.
If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or trying to become pregnant, keeping the following list for your first maternity appointment might be a good idea. Additionally, if you know that you are pregnant you should ask your doctor about getting tested for the following sexually transmitted diseases: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, Syphilis, and Bacterial Vaginosis. Some doctors do not routinely screen for the STD's listed here therefore you may have to specifically request to be tested for them, most health care providers are more than happy to accommodate your request.
Women who are pregnant can contract STD's during their pregnancy, therefore it is suggested that not only should you be tested for the STD's listed above when you become pregnant, usually during your first prenatal visit, but also later in your pregnancy as your due date approaches. Complications related to acquiring an STD while a woman is pregnant may actually be more severe for both the mother and the baby. These complications can be life threatening both for mother and baby! A pregnant woman with an STD may experience premature labor, early rupture of the membrane that protects the baby inside the womb, and infection of the uterus after she has delivered the baby.
HIV can infect the baby as it moves through the birth canal during delivery, or while the baby is still in the womb. HIV may also be passed from mother to infant during breast feeding as well. Some STD's such as Gonorrhea,Chlamydia,Hepatitis B, or Herpes can be passed from to mother to baby during vaginal child birth. Syphilis may be passed from mother to baby through the placenta while the baby is still in the womb. Women with pre-existing Genital Herpes should inform their doctor that they have been diagnosed with Herpes. Frequently, the doctor who delivers the baby will choose to perform the delivery by cesarean section or C-Section to avoid having the baby potentially exposed to Herpes.
If a pregnant woman is diagnosed with Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis or Bacterial Vaginosis both the mother and the baby can be treated with antibiotics during the pregnancy. However, a follow up test for STD's is often performed after the antibiotic treatment is complete to ensure the antibiotic was effective.
The best way to protect you and your baby from sexually transmitted diseases during pregnancy is through abstaining from unprotected sexual contact with non-monogamous sexual partners. Latex condoms can reduce your risk of contracting Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Trichomoniasis, and HIV. However, condoms are only effective deterrents to contracting STD's with consistent and correct use. It is believed that condoms may not provide adequate protection against the transmission of Human Papillomavirus or Herpes. If you have questions or concerns regarding sexually transmitted diseases, their transmission, or testing related to STD's during pregnancy it is recommended that you seek the advice of your doctor.