Screening for cervical cancer: a review of outcome among infertile women in a tertiary hospital in north-west Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer is the most common genital tract malignancy in the developing countries of the world. Interestingly, it has a pre-invasive stage, which can be detected through screening. The etiological organism of the disease is the human papilloma virus (HPV) that is sexually transmitted and sexually transmitted infections play a major role in the causation of infertility in developing countries.
Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of abnormal cervical smear among infertile women at Usmanu Dan-Fodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) Sokoto, Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving the assessment of cervical smears taken from infertile women attending the gynecological out-patient clinic of UDUTH sokoto over a 12-month period. cross-sectional study involving the assessment of the cervical smears taken from infertile women attending the gynecological out-patient clinic of UDUTH Sokoto over a 12-month period. Statistical analysis of the results was carried out using the EPI-INFO 3.5.1 (CDC, Atlanta Georgia, USA). Chi square test was used for association at p-value< 0.05 at 95 % confidence interval
Results: A total of 162 patients were screened during the study period. Their ages ranged from 15 to 46 years with a mean of 27.9 (6.2) years and modal age of 25-34 years. Majority of the subjects 88/159 (55.4%) were in the lower socio-economic class and 75/159 (47.2%) of the women were nullipara. Out of the 159 subjects with adequate smears, 58/159 (36.8%) were normal while 44/159 (27.8%) had inflammatory lesions. Cervical intraepithelial lesions were observed in 18/159 (11.3%) of the smears while 25 (15.7%) had evidence of HPV infection.
Conclusions: Considering the relatively high incidence 18/159 (11.3%) of cervical intraepithelial lesions seen among the subjects, there is the need to integrate cervical smear in the general infertility work-up.

Keywords: Cervical cytology, Infertility, Nigeria