Time From First Intercourse to First Sexually Transmitted Infection Diagnosis Among Adolescent Women

By age 15 years, 25% of the young women in the study acquired their first STI, most often C trachomatis. Median interval between first intercourse and first STI diagnosis was 2 years. Repeated infections were common. Considerable delay in STI testing was found for those who began sex at a younger age. Conclusions: Timely screening and treatment are important for prevention of STI sequelae. For urban adolescent women, STI screening (especially for C trachomatis) should begin within a year after first intercourse and infected individuals should be retested every 3 to 4 months. Archives of Pediatric/Adolescent Medicine