title: The pattern of female genital tuberculosis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: An analysis of 40 patients with genital tuberculosis in the Maternity and Children's Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, showed that female genital tuberculosis occurred in 0.45% of all gynaecological admissions, a much higher rate than those reported from Western countries with a similar economic background. These 40 women accounted for 4.2% of a total of 945 infertile women studied during the same period, and where infertility was due to a tubal factor, 1 in 7 was afflicted with tuberculosis. Most patients were young nulliparae and in 13 the disease was florid. Complete cure was achieved with chemotherapy in 77% of the patients, but tubal patency was restored in only five of 35 patients followed up (14%). There were only two tubal pregnancies and no intrauterine pregnancy. Genital tuberculosis should be considered as a possible cause of infertility and excluded before embarking upon tubal surgery or ovulation-induction therapy.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D014384:Tuberculosis, Female Genital / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*