Sexually Transmitted Infection Treatment Rates Among Pregnant vs Nonpregnant Patients in Emergency Departments

Do empiric treatment rates for patients tested for and infection in emergency departments differ by pregnancy status, and are these differences associated with patient demographic characteristics?In this cross-sectional study of more than 4.9 million emergency department encounters with or testing, empiric treatment occurred in approximately 11% of pregnant patients compared with 38% of nonpregnant patients. Among pregnant patients, empiric treatment rates differed by age, insurance status, language, race, and ethnicity.These findings suggest that differences were observed in empiric sexually transmitted infection treatment by pregnancy status and demographic characteristics, and these patterns may reflect a combination of guideline interpretation, communication, and structural barriers to follow-up rather than uniform inequity, emphasizing the need for context-aware approaches to equitable care.

Corresponding Author: Michael Gottlieb, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W Harrison St, Ste 108 Kellogg, Chicago, IL, 60612 (michaelgottliebmd@gmail.com).

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