title: Induced abortion: microbiological screening and medical complications.
abstract: Preoperative cervical screening of 1,193 women undergoing first-trimester induced abortions yielded Chlamydia trachomatis in 11.7%, Neisseria gonorrhoeae in 0.8%, Mycoplasma hominis in 22.1%, Ureaplasma urealyticum in 10.1%, herpes simplex virus in 0.9% and Group B streptococci (GBS) in 2.9%. C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae were especially frequent among teenagers. A total of 2.2% (26 women) developed postoperative pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and 0.9% (13 women) endometritis. PID developed significantly more often in untreated chlamydia-positive (22.7%), M. hominis-positive (8.1%) and GBS-positive (6.1%) women than in women without these microbes (0.5%) (p less than 0.05). Prompt treatment of the chlamydia infection before or in connection with the abortion procedure significantly decreased the likelihood of developing chlamydial PID from 22.7% to 2.1% (p less than 0.001). The study confirms the importance of preoperative screening for chlamydia and suggests screening for M. hominis and GBS as well. The results of screening should be available before the abortion, allowing patients to be treated pre- or peroperatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology/Obstetrics, Aker University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stray-Pedersen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biørnstad
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bergan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aanestad
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000382:microbiology; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*