This study evaluated the
effectiveness of Papanicolaou
staining for the initial
diagnosis of Chlamydial
infection in
pregnant women. A hundred thirteen
patients were examined with a
Papanicolaou test, independent of
gestational age,
parity or
maternal age. Three endocervical samples were collected; the first two were collected with a brush (Cytobrush plus, Mediscand,
Sweden) and the third with Ayre's spatula. The first specimen was used for McCoy
cell culture and the other two were examined cytologically. Chlamydial
infection was detected in 9 (7.9 percent)
patients. Only one (0.8 percent) was diagnosed by cytological exam. The
sensitivity and specificity of the cytological examination were 10 and 98 percent, respectively. The estimated
positive predictive value was 33.3 percent and the
negative predictive value was 92.7 percent. When Papanicolaou
stain diagnosis suggests
Chlamydia, a more specific complementary exam should be added to confirm
infection; subsequently adequate
treatment can be implemented, thereby preventing the frequent
complications of untreated
subclinical infections.