Role of IgG Chlamydia antibody in predicting tubal factor infertility

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Infertility is not a health problem, but a serious psychological trauma that affects the social status of women in the society. Treatment of infertility imposes a heavy economic burden on the family. Infertility can be due to a single or combination of causes and identification of the cause is essential for the proper management. Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most common causes of tubal factor infertility. No recent study has been done in Kerala to assess the burden of C. trachomatis in genitourinary infections. The aim of the study was to assess the role of C. trachomatis IgG antibody in patients with tubal factor infertility among women with primary or secondary infertility attending the fertility clinic in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala. Materials and Methods: The study was done for one year and the sample size included 95 cases and 63 age-matched controls. Tubal disease was diagnosed by laparoscopy or hysterosalpingography. Serum samples of all the patients and controls were tested for C. trachomatis IgG antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Of the 95 patients with tubal pathology, 14 (14.7%) had antibodies to C. trachomatis. Of the 63 patients with normal tubes, 12 (19%) had antibodies. However, of the 26 patients who were positive for Chlamydia antibodies, 14 (53.8%) had tubal disease. Conclusions: The prevalence of Chlamydia IgG in our study among women attending fertility clinic for the treatment of primary or secondary infertility is 26/158 (16.5%). Fifty-one (81%) patients had normal tubes.