Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in pregnant women and to evaluate the efficiency of antenatal screening in accordance to the trimesters, age groups and the number of gravida and parity. The study group consisted of 146 consecutive pregnant women atended to our antenatal clinic. Out of these 146 women, 75 (51.4%) were in the first trimester, 45 (30.8%) in the second trimester and 26 (17.8) in the third trimester. Anti-chlamydial IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies were studied with ELISA. Anti-chlamydia IgM antibodies, which could be accepted as a marker of acute infection were positive in 17.1% of the whole group. Anti-chlamydia IgM seroprevalence was not significantly different among the subgroups, when patients were evaluated according to the trimesters, age groups, gravida and parity. Serological survey of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in pregnant women seems to be cost-effective in our region, because of the high IgM seropositivity in the study group. All pregnant women should be sampled since the prevalence does not significantly change according to the trimesters, age groups, gravida and parity.