Evidence of chlamydial infection in infertile women with fallopian tube obstruction.

ABSTRACT

The study was carried out to find the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis seropositivity among women with infertility of tubal origin. Forty women with tubal infertility (verified at hysterosalpingography and laproscopy), 20 women with infertility due to variety of other reasons and 20 healthy fertile women of reproductive age were enrolled in the study. It was found that the presence of Chlamydia specific IgG antibody was significantly higher (70%) in women with infertility of tubal origin as compared to 35% seropositivity in healthy fertile women and 55% seropositivity in infertile women with cause of infertility other than tubal factor. Seventy eight percent of women with frequency of coitus 3-4 times/week were seropositive as compared to 34.7% when frequency of coitus was 1-2 times/week. Study also showed the silent nature of this infection as history suggestive of past pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) was lacking in majority of the seropositive women (63.75%). In the study group, both the ends of the fallopian tubes (cornual and distal block) were involved with almost equal frequency. Eighty three percent of women with seropositivity had unilateral or bilateral hydrosalpinx and 75% of women had marked pelvic adhesions. These results support the fact that there is strong association between serum anti-Chlamydial antibodies and tubal factor as a cause of infertility in infertile women.