CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS DETECTED BY POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION IN CERVICES OF CULTURE-NEGATIVE WOMEN CORRELATES WITH ADVERSE IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION OUTCOME

The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in the endocervices of 307 asy mptomatic culture-negative women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IV F) was evaluated, C. trachomatis was detected by polymerase chain reac tion (PCR) in 20 subjects (6.5%), and there were strong correlations b etween a positive finding and both failure to become pregnant (P = .01 3) and spontaneous abortion after embryo transfer (P = .004), C. trach omatis was identified in 2 (1.8%) of 112 who had term deliveries, 3 (2 7.3%) of 11 who spontaneously aborted, 1 (3.3%) of 30 with biochemical pregnancies, 13 (9.6%) of 135 with no pregnancy after embryo transfer , and 1 (5.3%) of 19 whose embryos did not become fertilized, There we re no relationships between PCR findings and maternal age, cause of in fertility, number of oocytes retrieved or fertilized, or number of emb ryos transferred; 55% of PCR-positive and 40% of PCR-negative women we re undergoing at least their second IVF. An undetected C, trachomatis infection may be responsible for implantation failure or spontaneous a bortion after IVF and embryo transfer.