Postabortal infectious morbidity after antibiotic treatment of chlamydia-positive patients.
The postabortal infection rate in chlamydia-positive women after antibiotic treatment (doxycycline or erythromycin) was compared with infectious morbidity among untreated culture-positive women in a comparable previous study. Of 69 chlamydia-positive patients, 5 (7.2%) developed endometritis and one (1.4%) salpingitis during the first postoperative month. The corresponding figures during the previous regimen were 16 (23.2%) and 10 (14.5%), respectively, i.e. a highly significant decrease (P less than 0.001). The infection rate among the chlamydia-negative women was unchanged. It is suggested that preoperative screening for C. trachomatis should precede legal abortion. Initiation of treatment of culture-positive cases before or at least in conjunction with the abortion seems to reduce the risk of infectious complications to the same level as in chlamydia-negative women.
Osser
S
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
Persson
K
K
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D004917:Erythromycin; D004318:Doxycycline