Chlamydial infection is one of the most common of the sexually transmitted pathogens, and produce tubal damage to cause infertility. Traditionally, at least 20% to 35% of infertile couples are considered to have tubal infertility, and chlamydia
trachomatis is probably highly associatd with tubal infertility.
We undertook this study to determine whether chlamydial infection would be an etiologic factor of the infertile cases in which a tubal factor is responsible for infertility.
Sixty-six women who came to the infertility clinic at the Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Severance Hospital were subject to serologic tests and cultures, and subsequent tubal evaluation was done with hysterosalpingogram, laparoscopy, and
laparotomy. The number of patients with tubal factor was 35, and those with other factors was 31.
@ES The results obtained were as follows:
@EN 1. The mean age was 29.4 years in seropositive patients, and 28.1 years in seronegative patients.
2. The number of patients with primary infertility was 41 and those with secondary infertility was 25.
3. The average duration of infertility was 3.7 years in seropositive patients and 3.2 years in seronegative patients.
4. There were no elevated values of ESR or WBC count.
5. Only 10% of seropositive patients complained of symptoms.
6. Sixty-one percent of infertile women were seropositive, and among them 68% were associated with tubal factors. In seronegative patients, 38% were associated with tubal factors.
7. Infertility with tubal factors was due to tubal obstruction in 68%, adhesions in 26%, and hydrosalpinx in 8% of patients.
8. Tubal infertility showed significantly higher incidence in patients who had antibody titers greater than 1: 128.
9. Sensitivity was 77%, specificity was 58%, NPV was 69%, and PPV was 68% for serologic tests.
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