The relationship between antisperm antibodies prevalence and genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women with unexplained infertility *

BackgroundChlamydia trachomatis infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Sperm-associated antibody could impair fertility through various mechanisms; both factors could be correlated to affect the fertility status of women.DesignA retrospective case-control study was performed enrolling ninety (n = 90) patients with primary or secondary infertility as the case group, in addition to another eighty (n = 80) healthy women attending the family planning clinic to investigate the correlation between C. trachomatis past and current infections and antisperm antibodies (ASA) in women with unexplained infertility.ResultsThe PCR prevalence of C. trachomatis did not differ significantly among both groups (2.4% versus 1.6%, p value = 0.66). In contrast, significantly higher prevalence of anti-C. trachomatis specific IgG (39% versus 19%, p value = 0.87) antibodies was found among infertile women. ASA prevalence was significantly higher in infertile group (20% versus 5%, p = 0.04). The final study results have failed to find a positive correlation between current or past C. trachomatis infection and the level of antisperm antibodies level in women suffering of un-explained infertility.ConclusionAntisperm antibodies were significantly higher in infertile women, but without a significant difference between the incidences of ASA in infertile women with past or current C. trachomatis current infection.