Tuberculosis, fertility and pregnancy: the clinical and experimental aspects
25.07.2025
09:26
The epidemiological situation for tuberculosis in the Russian Federation has improved over the last decade. However, fertility potential and unplanned pregnancy in women in detection and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) of the respiratory organs raise concern.
At the Central Research Institute of Tuberculosis was carried out observational cross-sectional study included 164 patients, who were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 included 82 pregnant women, who had TB of the respiratory organs. Group 2 included 82 non-pregnant women, who had TB of the respiratory organs. The experimental research was conducted using 40 female BALB/c mice. The mice were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 included 20 pregnant mice infected with Mtb. Group 2 included 20 pregnant mice, but not infected with Mtb.
The study aimed to explore the relationship between unplanned pregnancy and the course of TB of the respiratory organs in women and assess the influence of tuberculosis infection on fertility of female BALB/c mice to develop a clinical and experimental concept for a possibility of getting pregnant with favorable perinatal outcomes.
Active TB disease suppresses the reproductive potential in female BALB/c mice. In women, who have TB of the respiratory organs, unfavorable social and fertility factors increase the risk of unplanned pregnancy by 3.5 times, that aggravates the course of tuberculosis compared with non-pregnant patients. Late relapses occur by 2.5 times more often, exudative pleurisy and bronchial tuberculosis by 1.7 times, late detection of cavernous pulmonary tuberculosis by 5.5 times. The reverse negative impact of TB of the respiratory organs on the course of pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period was not detected.
The scientifically based interdisciplinary approach to pregnancy management, taking into account unfavorable social and fertility factors in women with TB of the respiratory organs, makes it possible to achieve high efficacy of anti-tuberculosis therapy, to reduce the frequency of obstetric complications, and to have favorable perinatal outcomes.
