Background:
Background: Defining factors affecting sexually transmitted diseases during pregnancy (STD/P) is really essential for STD intervention program in Louisiana.

Objective:
Objectives: Identify risk factors/markers of STD/P in Louisiana.

Method:
Methods: 1999-2004 STD data were linked with 2000-2004 birth records data. A woman was defined to have STD/P if distance between her date of exam, which had a positive result of any STD, and date of birth of her newborn was less than or equal gestational age of her newborn. Binary multivariable logistic regression was applied to define risk factors/markers of STD/P using SAS 9.0. Maternal race, education, age, marital status, smoking, drinking, geographic areas, and prenatal care entry were independent variables. Alpha was set at .05 for statistical significance

Result:
Results: Blacks were 4.1 times more likely to have STD/P than whites (adjusted Odds Ratio (OR): 4.1, confidence interval 95% (CI): 3.9 – 4.3). Younger women had higher risk of STD/P (age < 15, OR: 4.9, CI: 3.9 – 6.1; age 15-19, OR: 6.0, CI: 5.1 – 6.9; age 20-24, OR: 4.6, CI: 4.0 – 5.4; age 25-29, OR: 2.6, CI: 2.2 – 3.0; and age 30-34, OR: 1.6, CI: 1.3 – 1.9). Higher educated women were less likely to have STD/P (less than 10 yrs of education, OR: 1.8, CI: 1.7 – 1.9; 10-12 yrs of education, OR: 1.6, CI: 1.5 – 1.7). Women who were unmarried (OR: 5.2, CI: 4.8 – 5.5), lived in urban (OR: 1.3, CI: 1.3 – 1.4), and smoked (OR: 1.2, CI: 1.1 – 1.2) were statistically significant to increase STD/P.

Conclusion:
Conclusion: Pregnant women with any of following characteristics: black, younger, less educated, unmarried, smoking, living in urban, and began later or had no prenatal care were more likely to have STD/P.

Implications:
Implications for programs, policy, and/or research: STD intervention program should more effectively target population with higher risk of STD/P.