Serum antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis in women with ectopic pregnancy, normal pregnancy or salpingitis

• Published in: European journal of obstetrics & gynecology and reproductive biology Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 101 - 105
• Main Authors: Chrysostomou, M., Karafyllidi, P., Papadimitriou, V., Bassiotou, V., Mayakos, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 21.04.1992
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adult; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Chlamydia trachomatis; Chlamydia trachomatis - immunology; Ectopic pregnancy, Acute salpingitis; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Pregnancy - immunology; Pregnancy, Tubal - immunology; Pregnancy, Tubal - microbiology; Risk Factors; Salpingitis - immunology; Salpingitis - microbiology; Ectopic pregnancy, Acute salpingitis; Chlamydia trachomatis
• ISSN: 0301-2115; 1872-7654
• DOI: 10.1016/0028-2243(92)90053-2

Serum antichlamydial antibodies were studied in three groups. Group A included 49 women with recent ectopic pregnancy, group B included 56 women with normal first trimester pregnancy, and group C included 20 women with a first episode of acute salpingitis. In the ectopic pregnancy group, a significantly higher percentage of women had IgG antichlamydial antibodies than in the normal pregnancy group (75.5% vs. 46.4%, P < 0.001). Women with acute salpingitis had the same prevalence of IgG antibodies as patients who had an ectopic pregnancy (60% vs. 75.5%, P < 0.10). In the ectopic pregnancy group, the women had a significantly higher geometric mean titer (GMT) of antichlamydial IgG antibodies than women with an intra-uterine pregnancy (70.4% vs. 27.3%, P < 0.001). The results suggest that there is a positive relation between prior Chlamydia trachomatis infection and risk for tubal pregnancy.