PREGNANCY OUTCOME IN SEROLOGICALLY INDICATED ACTIVE CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS INFECTION

A serological test for chlamydial infection was administered to 281 Je rusalem women in order to determine the rate and influence of Chlamydi a on pregnancy outcome. Serological indication of active infection was present in 7.8% of the tested women, while 15.3% were shown to be pos itive for Chlamydia. Among the ultraorthodox subpopulation of Mea Shea rim, serological indication of active infection was present among 5.9% of the women, and 12.3% of this population tested positive. In compar ison, women from the secular subpopulation had 12.7% serological indic ation of active infection and 22.95% tested positive (P <0.01). There were no statistically significant differences between pregnancy durati on, birthweight, incidence of premature uterine contractions, prematur e rupture of membranes, and postpartum febrile morbidity in the infect ed and noninfected groups. Women with a previous history of induced ab ortions showed a significantly higher evidence of past Chlamydia infec tion (9.3%) when compared with the women who did not have an infection (1.4%) (P <0.006). Among the ultraorthodox women with positive or act ive infection, 41% had suffered at least one spontaneous abortion, as compared with 25% of the religious women who had no serological eviden ce of infection.