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

OBJECTIVE

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.

DESIGN

Prospective, descriptive.

SETTING

The outpatient department of the Fertility Unit of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Groningen University Hospital.

PATIENTS: Females (n = 184) of infertile couples consecutively visiting the department for evaluation and treatment.

INTERVENTIONS: None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sexually transmitted disease correlates, cervical chlamydial infection, cervical and serum chlamydial antibodies, cervical mucus qualities according to World Health Organization criteria, tubal abnormalities.

RESULTS

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 less than 0.035), as well as with serum immunoglobulin G antibodies (P less than 0.05), which could be because of interaction between both risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

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.