SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS INFECTION IN WOMEN WITH SPONTANEOUS ABORTIONS

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis is a common sexually transmitted bacteria
pathogen which might be implicated in miscarriage.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the frequency of chlamydia trachomatis antibodies among
women who experienced spontaneous miscarriage and compare it with those women
without miscarriage.
DESIGN: A comparative cross sectional study comparing 130 cases of women with
spontaneous abortion to the control group which comprised of pregnant women without
miscarriage that were matched for age, parity and gestational age.
SETTING: This study was conducted in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of
Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
METHODS: Patients with spontaneous abortions were studied and antenatal patients in
the first and second trimester of normal pregnancy served as the comparative group.
Information on the socio demographic factors was obtained using a proforma. Serum was
collected from each participant to detect IgG specific Chlamydia antibodies.
RESULTS: The prevalence of immunoglobulin G against C. trachomatis was statistically
higher in the miscarriage group than in the control group (32.3% vs. 7.7%), P = 0.001 and
there was statistically significant association between a positive test of Chlamydia
trachomatis antibody and a miscarriage (OR 5.7, 95% CI 1.70 – 3.49 with a P<0.001).
CONCLUSION: Chlamydia trachomatis is an important infective agent of miscarriage
in women in our environment

SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS INFECTION IN WOMEN WITH SPONTANEOUS ABORTIONS