Most Women Skip Chlamydia Testing

Most U.S. women who should be tested for chlamydia are not doing so, researchers say. Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common type of bacterial infection spread by sex in this country. U.S. health officials say that sexually active women under 25 should be tested for it. So should older women with a new sex partner or multiple partners. Finally, it’s recommended for all pregnant women. But only 42% of women in these groups were tested in 2007, the new study found. That’s up from 25% in 2000. Data for the study came from public and private health plans. Reuters Health wrote about the study April 16. It appeared in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.