Serologic evidence for the role of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Mycoplasma hominis in the etiology of tubal factor infertility and ectopic pregnancy

Article Abstract:

Pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection of the reproductive organs, especially the uterus and fallopian tubes, can cause scar tissue to form. Scar tissue in fallopian tubes is a major cause of tubal factor infertility and increases the risk for ectopic pregnancy, in which the fetus becomes implanted outside of the uterus. It is suspected that the increase in tubal factor infertility is caused by a corresponding increase in history of sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and mycoplasma hominis. There is some evidence that many women who are infertile or who have had ectopic pregnancies also have a history of sexually transmitted infections. Antibodies are produced by the body after exposure to any infectious agent. To see if there is an increase in antibodies to chlamydia, gonorrhea and mycoplasma in infertile women, 104 women were studied. The fallopian tubes were abnormal in 76 women, 55 of whom had antibodies for at least one sexually transmitted disease. Only six out of 28 infertile woman with normal tubes tested positive for one of the diseases. Of the woman with abnormal tubes, 40 percent had chlamydia, 14 percent had gonorrhea and 37 percent had mycoplasma. Of the women with normal tubes, seven percent had chlamydia, none had gonorrhea and 14 percent had mycoplasma. Of the 20 women with a history of an ectopic pregnancy, 40 percent had chlamydia, 5 percent had gonorrhea and 35 percent had mycoplasma. Infertile women with tubal abnormalities had more antibodies to infection than infertile women with normal tubes. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Sexually transmitted diseases, Mycoplasma infections, Uterine diseases

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Tubal infertility: serologic relationship to past chlamydial and gonococcal infection

Article Abstract:

Both chlamydia and gonorrhea appear to be associated with a condition in women known as bilateral tubal occlusion (BTO). BTO occurs when both the fallopian tubes become blocked. BTO results from chlamydial or gonorrheal infections moving up into the fallopian tubes. The resulting inflammation and scarring often cause infertility. Infertile women seen in clinics in Thailand, Slovenia and Hungary were compared with fertile women seen at the same clinics. Additionally, women with BTO were compared with women who were infertile from other causes. Tests for current chlamydial infections were positive in 18% of the women with BTO, 14% of the pregnant women and 20% of the women who were infertile from other causes. Blood tests indicated that overall 93% of the women with BTO had evidence of previous chlamydial and/or gonorrheal infection. However, only 40% of the fertile women had evidence of prior infection.

Risk factors, Salpingitis

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Chlamydial serology among patients with tubal factory infertility and ectopic pregnancy in Alexandria, Egypt

Article Abstract:

Chlamydial infection that damages fallopian tubes and causes infertility may affect Egyptian women just as it affects Western women. Researchers studied 51 Egyptian women with tubal factor infertility (TFI) and 66 with ectopic pregnancy, both of which may be caused by pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Women with TFI showed more evidence of chlamydial infection than did women without TFI. Women with higher levels of antibodies to chlamydia had experienced more serious upper genital tract infections. Chlamydial infection may damage fallopian tubes without manifesting symptoms. Ectopic pregnancies were more common among women who had used intrauterine devices for birth control.

Egyptians

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