Key words: chlamydia trachomatis infections, reproductive tract complications, cohort study, chlamydia serology

"Can I still get pregnant? Long-term complications of Chlamydia trachomatisinfections in women"

To gain insight in the prevalence of long-term complications of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in women, the Netherlands Chlamydia Cohort Study was initiated at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). Women with a previous chlamydia infection had an increased risk for a pelvic inflammatory disease and tubal factor infertility. In addition, the time to pregnancy was longer among women with a previous chlamydia infection. Incidence rates of late complications were however low, and although the time to pregnancy was longer, the proportion of women who became pregnant was similar among women with and without a previous infection. Several factors were found that either increased or decreased the risk for complications. For example, specific antibodies against chlamydia of single nucleotide polymorphism in host DNA. Furthermore, a young age at first infection or having had a symptomatic infection increased the risk for complications. In the follow-up of the cohort study, the identification of women at high risk for complications will be further investigated to target prevention on these women.

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