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CC BY 4.0 · Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2022; 44(06): 614-620
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1748023
Review Article

The Correlation between Chlamydia Trachomatis and Female Infertility: A Systematic Review

A correlação entre clamídia trachomatis e infertilidade feminina: Uma revisão sistemática
Laura Gazal Passos 
1   Medicine school of Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
2   Center for Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
,
Paula Terraciano 
2   Center for Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
3   Medicine school of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Nicole Wolf 
2   Center for Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
3   Medicine school of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Fernanda dos Santos de Oliveira 
2   Center for Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
3   Medicine school of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Isabel de Almeida 
4   Fertility Center, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Eduardo Pandolfi Passos 
2   Center for Experimental Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
3   Medicine school of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
4   Fertility Center, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Abstract

The impact of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection on female's fertility is not completely established yet, since the level of evidence associating these factors is still weak. Hence, the goal of the present review is to contribute to a better elucidation of this matter. The electronic database chosen was the Medline/PubMed, with the last survey on May 11, 2021. Publication date was used as a filter, with the previous 5 years having been selected. The following describers were used: chlamydia trachomatis AND infertility; chlamydia trachomatis AND tubal alteration AND infertility; chlamydia AND low pregnancy rates. From the 322 studies screened, 293 that failed to meet our eligibility criteria were excluded. Subsequently, we removed seven studies for not having the possible correlation between CT infections and female infertility as its main focus, and three for being about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in general. Moreover, two studies designed as reviews were also excluded. Ergo, we included 17 studies in our qualitative analysis. The authors conducted research individually and analyzed carefully the studies selected. As we retrieved the information needed for our study through reading the texts, no contact was made with the authors of the studies selected. This systematic review corroborates the hypothesis that CT infection potentiates female infertility, as 76.47% of the included studies found a positive correlation between them. We conclude that there is an important association between CT infection and female infertility. Ergo, making CT screening part of the infertility investigation routine is relevant and has a reasonable justification.

Resumo

O impacto da infecção por Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) na fertilidade feminina ainda não está completamente estabelecido, uma vez que o nível de evidência associando esses fatores ainda é insignificante. Assim, o objetivo desta revisão é contribuir para uma melhor elucidação deste assunto. A base de dados eletrônica escolhida foi a Medline/PubMed, com a última pesquisa em 11 de maio de 2021. Utilizou-se como filtro a data de publicação, sendo selecionados os 5 anos anteriores. Foram usados os seguintes descritores: Chlamydia trachomatis E infertility; Chlamydia trachomatis E tubal alteration E infertility; Chlamydia E low pregnancy rates. Dos 322 estudos selecionados, 293 que não atenderam aos nossos critérios de elegibilidade foram excluídos. Posteriormente, retiramos sete estudos por não terem como foco principal a possível correlação entre infecção por CT e infertilidade feminina e três por tratarem de infecções sexualmente transmissíveis (ISTs) em geral. Além disso, dois estudos concebidos como revisões também foram excluídos. Portanto, incluímos 17 estudos em nossa análise qualitativa. Os autores realizaram pesquisas individualmente e analisaram criteriosamente os estudos selecionados. Como obtivemos as informações necessárias para nosso estudo por meio da leitura dos textos, nenhum contato foi feito com os autores. Esta revisão sistemática corrobora a hipótese de que a infecção por CT potencializa a infertilidade feminina, pois 76,47% dos estudos incluídos encontraram correlação positiva entre eles. Concluímos que existe uma associação importante entre infecção por CT e infertilidade feminina. Portanto, tornar os procedimentos de triagem por CT parte da rotina de investigação de infertilidade é relevante e justificável.

Keywords

chlamydia trachomatis - infertility - tubal factor infertility - sexually transmitted diseases - human reproduction

Palavras-chave

clamídia trachomatis - infertilidade - infertilidade tubária - infecções sexualmente transmissíveis - reprodução humana


Publication History

Received: 23 August 2021

Accepted: 27 January 2022

Article published online:
16 May 2022

© 2022. Federação Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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