Women should be tested for chlamydia every time they have a new sexual partner to reduce their risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, UK researchers suggest. A study of 2,500 students indicated that annual screening is insufficient to prevent cases of pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to infertility. Among those found to have chlamydia, treatment reduced the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease by 80%. The National Chlamydia Screening Programme supported these findings. Researchers from St George’s, University of London, concluded that most cases of pelvic inflammatory disease occurred in women who did not have chlamydia when tested a year earlier. Published in the British Medical Journal, the findings suggested these women may have become infected within the 12 months following screening.
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the UK, with cases steadily increasing. For the study, researchers recruited sexually active female students aged 16 to 27 from 20 universities and colleges in London. They were tested at the start of the study and checked for pelvic inflammatory disease one year later, a condition that can cause chronic pain, infertility, and increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
The key message from study leader Professor Pippa Oakeshott, who also works as a GP, is that individuals should get tested every time they have a new sexual partner. However, she noted that chlamydia isn't the only cause of pelvic inflammatory disease, stating, "It's probably several bacteria that cause it, and we should probably be screening for other things, but chlamydia and gonorrhoea are a good start." She also emphasized the need for making testing more accessible to young people through kits available in colleges and youth clubs.
A Health Protection Agency spokesperson said the findings reinforce the testing policy of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme, launched in 2003. "The study highlights the importance of the program's approach to annual or change-of-partner testing because most cases of pelvic inflammatory disease occurred in women who initially tested negative for chlamydia."
Last year, the National Audit Office criticized the screening program for duplicating efforts and failing to test enough of the under-25 target group in England.