Clue to chlamydia pregnancy risk
Wednesday January 12th, 2011
British researchers say they have discovered how an infection that afflicts women can interfere with pregnancy - leading to new clues about the causes of a major complication.
The
new research at Edinburgh University links chlamydia infection to ectopic
pregnancy - when an embryo implants outside the womb.
The new findings show why this happens as the infection leads to the production of a protein, known as PROKR2 in the Fallopian tubes, which link the ovaries to the womb.
The infection has been commonly linked to infertility because of the damage it causes in the Fallopian tubes.
The findings have been reported in the American Journal of Pathology.
The researchers say a similar protein can lead to smokers experiencing ectopic pregnancy.
Researcher Dr Andrew Horne said: "We know that chlamydia is a major risk factor for ectopic pregnancy but until now we were unsure how the infection led to implantation of a pregnancy in the Fallopian tube.
We hope that this new information allows health care providers to give women accurate information about risks following chlamydial infection and to support public health messages about the importance of safer sex and chlamydia testing."
American Journal of Pathology January 2011 Vol. 178, No. 1, pp 253-260
Tags: Childbirth and Pregnancy | UK News | Women’s Health & Gynaecology
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