Gonococcal and chlamydial antibodies in ectopic and intrauterine pregnancy

Sera from 50 women with ectopic pregnancy and 50 age-matched control women with intrauterine pregnancy were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae pili as antigens. In the ectopic pregnancy group 76% had IgG antibodies to C. trachomatis compared with 38% in the controls. The prevalence of gonococcal IgG antibody was 32% in the ectopic pregnancy group and 4% in the controls. The prevalences of IgA antibodies to the two organisms ranged from 2 to 12% and were similar in the two groups; cultures for C. trachomatis from cervical swabs from the ectopic pregnancy group were negative. Chlamydial antigen was detected (by ELISA) in exfoliated cervical cells of only one patient in this group.