Infertility and uterine colonization with Ureaplasma urealyticum

Abstract

Samples of cervical mucus and endometrial tissue from 379 women who were infertile for various reasons were examined for the presence of Ureaplasma urealyticum, and the results were compared with those obtained in 40 fertile women. In the cervical samples U. urealyticum was present in about half of the women in both groups, whereas positive cultures from the endometrium were obtained significantly more often among the infertile patients (26%) than among the controls (7.5%). Between the different infertility subgroups (unaccountable infertility, infertility caused by tubal abnormalities, husband infertility and other known causes) no significant differences were found. The presence of U. urealyticum in the endometrium was asymptomatic and was not related to prior pelvic inflammatory disease. In 14% of the Ureaplasma-positive endometria, aerobic or anaerobic bacteria were demonstrated. A treatment trial was also included in the study, but did not arrive at any definite conclusion as to the specific role of endometrial Ureaplasma colonization in infertility.