CHLAMYDIAL SEROLOGY AMONG PATIENTS WITH TUBAL FACTOR INFERTILITY AND ECTOPIC PREGNANCY IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

Background and Objectives: Little is known about the role of Chlamydia trachomatis in the etiology of tubal factor infertility and ectopic p regnancy in Egypt. Goal of this Study: To assess the association betwe en past chlamydial infection, tubal factor infertility, and ectopic pr egnancy in an Egyptian population. Study Design: This report consists of two concurrent case-control studies, First, 51 patients with tubal factor infertility were compared with 48 healthy subjects who did not have tubal factor infertility and 53 pregnant subject subjects. Second , 65 patients with ectopic pregnancy were compared with 51 pregnant co ntrol subjects. Results: Geometric mean titers for Chlamydia trachomat is were higher among patients with tubal factor infertility and ectopi c pregnancy, and they were more likely to have high antichlamydial tit ers (greater than or equal to 1:128 immunoglobulin G). Serum titer was significantly correlated with histologic evidence of salpingitis amon g the patients with an ectopic pregnancy. Conclusion: Our findings, si milar to those from Western societies, suggest that among Egyptian wom en, prior chlamydial infection is associated with an increased risk of tubal factor infertility and possibly ectopic pregnancy,