CERVICAL CYTOLOGY PROFILE OF INFERTILITY PATIENTS AT THE EBONYI STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, ABAKALIKI

Abstract

Cervical carcinoma and infertility are both disorders with profound impact on reproductive health of women. High-risk sexual behaviour is a strong predisposing factor to both conditions. The situation is further compounded by the lack of organized screening services for cervical cancer and the high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in developing countries, including Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE:

The study aims to evaluate the pattern of cervical cytology and document the prevalence of abnormal cervical cytology among infertility patients at Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, and to compare the prevalence of abnormal cervical cytology in infertility patients with that in the general gynaecological patients.

STUDY DESIGN

A comparative, cross-sectional study of cervical cytology profile of 200 infertility patients and 200 general gynaecological patients was undertaken at the gynaecological outpatient department of Ebonyi State University teaching Hospital, Abakaliki over 8 months between May 2nd, and December 30th, 2005. The subjects were screened with the Papanicolaou smear cytological study.

RESULT

Seventeen general gynaecological patients (8.9%) and 14 (7.4%) infertility patients had abnormal cervical cytology. The difference was not statistically significant. There was an increase in prevalence of abnormal smears with age in both groups with a peak in those 35 years and older, 3.2% and 4.7% of infertility and general gynaecological patients respectively.

CONCLUSION

Infertility did not seem to lead to increased prevalence of abnormal cervical cytology. Organized screening protocol is recommended for all infertility and general gynaecological patients, especially those up to 35 years of age.

CERVICAL CYTOLOGY PROFILE OF INFERTILITY PATIENTS AT THE EBONYI STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, ABAKALIKI