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The association between chlamydial-specific IgG and IgA antibodies and pregnancy outcome in an in vitro fertilization program

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Abstract

Chammydial-specfic IgG and IgA antibodies were determined by a single serovar (L2) immunoperoxidase assay (IPA) in the serum of all patients that have conceived in an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF & ET) progrom (n=106) and in a group of patients that went through the program at the same period of time and did not conceive (n=94). The prevalence rate of elevated IPA IgG (titers≥1∶128) and IPA IgA (titers≥1∶16) specific to chlamydiae was significantly higher (P<0.001) in the IVF&ET pregnancy loss and nonconception groups (“failures”) versus the IVF&ET term pregnancy group (“successes”) (74 vs 47%, odds ratio=4.1, and 34 vs 14%, odds ratio=4.3, respectively). Stepwise discriminant analysis revealed that elevated specific chlamydial IgG had the greatest effect on the variance between successes and failures in this study group. Our study indicates the possible role of past or chronic active chlamydiae infection on the “take-home baby rate” in an IVF&ET program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 151, 84101, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Eitan Lunenfeld & Vaclav Insler

  2. Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Comecticut

    Bruce S. Shapiro & Alan H. Decherney

  3. Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Batia Sarov

  4. Virology Unit Soroka Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Israel Sarov

Authors
  1. Eitan Lunenfeld
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  2. Bruce S. Shapiro
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  3. Batia Sarov
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  4. Israel Sarov
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  5. Vaclav Insler
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  6. Alan H. Decherney
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Lunenfeld, E., Shapiro, B.S., Sarov, B. et al. The association between chlamydial-specific IgG and IgA antibodies and pregnancy outcome in an in vitro fertilization program. J Assist Reprod Genet 6, 222–227 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01132869

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01132869

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