Detection, treatment, and follow up of women with Chlamydia trachomatis infection seeking abortion in inner city general practices.

Systematic identification, treatment and follow-up of women with chlamydial cervicitis among those seeking abortion in 4 neighboring London inner city clinics over 1 year is described. All consecutive patients seeking abortion from September 1986-September 1987 were offered preabortion screening for infection; chlamydia specimens were taken with dry cotton swabs and smears examined with the Microtrak test (Syva). 103 women were recruited out of 129 abortion seekers, from a total of 8002 women of reproductive age. 12 were found to have chlamydia infection with no signs or symptoms. Of 96 that had abortions, 9 consulted within 3 weeks for complications. 5 of these women had genital tract infection, and 4 had retained products. All women treated for chlamydial cervicitis remained symptom free. 8 were negative at follow up. 3 were in good health, but refused retesting. 2 women developed severe, acute illness within 48 hours of abortion, diagnoses as chlamydia infection. These complications could have been avoided if preabortion screening and treatment had been offered.