Ectopic Pregnancies and Reproductive Capacity After Chlamydia trachomatis Positive and Negative Test Results: A Historical Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Background: Recent studies have shown that women with Chlamydia trachomatis-positive test results worry about their future fertility. Goal: The goal of this study was to give women infected with C. trachomatis a fertility prognosis by analyzing ectopic pregnancies and birth rates Study Design: An historical follow-up study in a cohort of 22,264 women tested for the infection was conducted. Results: Cox regression analysis with time-dependent covariates showed that women with at least 1 C. trachomatis-positive test result had a lower incidence rate of ectopic pregnancy than women with negative test results only (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31–0.96). We found comparable birth rates in the 2 groups (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.84–1.00). Conclusions: Counseling of women with a C. trachomatis-positive test result should emphasize the benefit of detection and treatment of the infection in terms of future morbidity.