Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in pregnant women and infertility cases in Abeokuta/Nigeria.

Cervical and urethral swabs were taken from 80 pregnant and 20 infertile women attending a catholic hospital in Abeokuta/Nigeria and screened for Chlamydia trachomatis using an amplified EIA. The prevalence in pregnant women was 11%, the distribution of positive findings among the anatomical sites urethra, cervix and both urethra and cervix being 4:3:2, which is a very high rate of isolated urethral infection. In the 20 infertility cases in which an additional hysterosalpingography was performed to demonstrate a possible tubal obstruction, chlamydia could be found in 15% with a distribution of 1:1:1. A subgroup with high evidence of tubal obstruction had a higher infection rate as compared to a subgroup with low evidence of tubal obstruction (p less than 0.03).