Background: Infertility is a common gynaecological problem that has a multi factorial aetiology. Conception and pregnancy depend on complex physiological, anatomic and immunological factors.
Objective: to evaluate the prevalence of chlamydial infection, especially subclinical cases, in a population of Egyptian tubal infertile women and to relate it to history, symptoms, clinical, and laparoscopy findings. Finally, to find any advantage of detecting antichlamydial antibodies in serum of these patients and evaluate its importance in prediction of tubal factor of infertility.
Patients and Methods: This study includes 50 primary or secondary infertile females (patients group) their age between 20-30 years, and 50 random fertile females (control group) and Blood sample for IgG, Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies were drawn from all cases of the study for ELISA test.
Results: The prevalence rate of Chlamydia trachomatis IgG antibodies was significantly higher in infertile group than that of control group. There was significant higher rate and ratio of positive results in infertile group than that of control group concerning anti-chlamydial IgG. There was a strong correlation between serum levels of anti-chlamydial IgG in the infertility patients. There was a significant correlation between serum anti-chlamydial IgG levels and the duration of infertility. There was no relation between the serum level of anti-chlamydial IgG and the age of the patients of the type of infertility. The results of this study are matched with most of the previous published studies yet there are some differences in the positive and negative ratios.
Conclusion: Chlamydia trachomatis plays a major role in the occurrence of tubal factor of infertility. Subclinical chlamydial salpinigits was an important cause of tubal infertility. Serological test for Chlamydia trachomatis namely anti-chlamydial antibodies IgG are sensitive, simple, and inexpensive tests even if compared by using direct methods for detection and should be done as a routine part of infertility investigations. The serological test could be an accurate non-invasive predictor of tubal status especially if combined with other methods as HSG, good history taking and examination.