Increased Endometrial CD38 and CD138 Positivity in Women with Ectopic Pregnancy History: A Retrospective Study.

Abstract

Ectopic pregnancy (EP) represents the most common gynecological emergency. However, its specific etiology and pathogenesis remain incompletely understood. This retrospective study investigated the correlation between chronic endometritis (CE) markers (CD38 and CD138) in the endometrium and EP. Patients were categorized as follows: women with a history of EP but no prior intrauterine operations (EP Group A; n = 98), women with a history of EP and at least one intrauterine operation (EP Group B; n = 244), and a control group of women with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA; n = 267). The prevalence of CD38 and/or CD138 positive cells was 54.1% (53/98) in Group A, 72.5% (177/244) in Group B, and 28.1% (75/267) in the RSA group. Our findings demonstrate a significantly higher rate of CD38 and/or CD138 positivity in the endometrium of women with a history of EP compared to the RSA controls. This result suggests that chronic endometritis may be an underlying pathogenic factor contributing to ectopic pregnancy.