Further details on sequelae at the cervical and tubal level of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in infertile women

• Published in: Fertility and sterility Vol. 56; no. 1; pp. 20 - 26
• Main Authors: Ruijs, Gijs J., Kauer, Frank M., Jager, Siemen, Peter Schröder, F., Schirm, Jurjen, Kremer, Jan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.07.1991; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Antibodies, Bacterial - analysis; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Birth control; Cervix Mucus - microbiology; Chlamydia Infections - complications; Chlamydia trachomatis - immunology; Chlamydia trachomatis - isolation & purification; Fallopian Tube Diseases - microbiology; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Immunoglobulin A - analysis; Immunoglobulin G - analysis; Infertility, Female - microbiology; Male; Medical sciences; Prospective Studies; Regression Analysis; Sexual Partners; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - complications; Sterility. Assisted procreation; Urethra - microbiology; Uterine Cervical Diseases - microbiology; Vaginal Smears; Human; Chlamydiaceae; Exploration; Chlamydia trachomatis; Uterine cervix; Fallopian tube; Sterility; Urogenital; Female genital diseases; Infection; Bacteriosis; Chlamydiales; Bacteria; Female; Chlamydiosis
• ISSN: 0015-0282; 1556-5653
• DOI: 10.1016/S0015-0282(16)54410-0

Relationships were studied between correlates of sexually transmitted diseases and chlamydial antibodies versus cervical mucus abnormalities and tubal abnormalities. An estimate was also attempted of the baseline prevalence of endogenous tubal abnormalities. Prospective, descriptive. The outpatient department of the Fertility Unit of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Groningen University Hospital. Females (n=184) of infertile couples consecutively visiting the department for evaluation and treatment. None. Sexually transmitted disease correlates, cervical chlamydial infection, cervical and serum chlamydial antibodies, cervical mucus qualities according to World Health Organization criteria, tubal abnormalities. Of the 175 cervical mucus samples studied, subnormal quality was because of imperfect timing of collection of 22 of the 23 subnormal samples. Tubal abnormalities correlated with more than five lifetime sexual partners (P < 0.035), as well as with serum immunoglobulin G antibodies (P < 0.05), which could be because of interaction between both risk factors. No correlation was found between subnormal cervical mucus and chlamydial infection. Approximately two thirds of the tubal abnormalities seem unrelated to exogenous factors, although further study seems warranted.