Infertility and cervical chlamydia trachomatis infections

Of the 51 women examined for infertility, 19.6 per cent were found Chl. trachomatis culture-positive. This differs, although not significantly, from the 9 per cent isolation rate among our general gynecological outpatients. The results suggest that Chl. trachomatis should be considered in women with unexplained infertility. 51 consecutive infertility patients were tested for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis in the cervix. Of the 51 subjects studied, 10 (19.6%) excreted C. trachomatis. The mean age of patients was 29.1 years (range, 22-38). This 19.6% rate differed, but not significantly, from the 9% isolation rate among the general gynecological outpatients. No abnormalities of the cervix were observed among chlamydia-positive patients. In 3 cases the vaginal smear taken for hormonal test showed inflammatory reaction. Distribution of known etiological factors of infertility was rather similar in the 2 patient groups (i.e., culture positive and culture negative), except that the etiology of infertility remained unexplained in 5/10 chlymadia-positive patients, but in only 7/41 (17%) negative patients. This difference was not statistically significant (P .1). These data suggest that C. trachomatis should be considered in women with unexplained infertility.