Seropositivity toChlamydia trachomatis during pregnancy and perinatal complications

We studied the relationship between seropositivity toChlamydia trachomatis during pregnancy and perinatal complications. Of 178 pregnant women, 10 (5.62%) had IgG and IgM antibodies toC. trachomatis by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay at 10 and 20 weeks of gestation. Twenty-one of 178 (11.8%) women had IgG and IgA antibodies toC. trachomatis. None of these seropositive women received therapy during pregnancy. Five babies born to women with IgG and IgA antibodies had fetal or neonatal distress; 1 mother had meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Of 307 pregnant women at 30 weeks of gestation, 5 (1.63%) had IgG and IgM antibodies, and 24 (7.82%) had IgG and IgA antibodies toC trachomatis. Seropositive women in this group received therapy with clarithromycin, 400 mg/day, for 2 weeks during pregnancy. No babies born to women with IgG and IgA positive antibodies had fetal or neonatal distress; 9 mothers had premature rupture of the membrane, and 5 had meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Chlamydial antigen (identified as E strain) was detected in 2 of the 5 neonates born to women with IgG and IgM antibodies. The incidence of perinatal complications was significantly higher in pregnant women withC. trachomatis-positive IgG and IgA antibodies than in seronegative pregnant women at 30 weeks of gestation (P<0.05).C. trachomatis infection present near the time of labor was considered to be associated with perinatal complications.