Subacute focal endometritis. Association with cervical colonization with ureaplasma urealyticum, pelvic pathology and endometrial maturation.

Subacute focal endometritis (SFE) has been associated with cervical Ureaplasma urealyticum colonization and is considered a significant indicator of pelvic adhesions or endometriosis. A retrospective analysis was performed comparing cervical isolation rates, endometrial maturation patterns and laparoscopic findings in 64 patients with SFE and in a control group of 70 unselected patients with no histologic evidence of SFE at endometrial biopsy. The data suggest that although the prevalence of pelvic damage of various types is high, SFE cannot be used as a reliable marker for pelvic adhesions or endometriosis; that SFE does not interfere with normal endometrial maturation; and that SFE is not invariably associated with cervical U urealyticum but may represent resolving infection. It is also possible that SFE represents endometrial autoimmunity either following mycoplasma infection or arising spontaneously.