Intrauterine devices and pelvic inflammatory disease.
The intrauterine device (IUD) has experienced a resurgence of popularity. Much of this popularity is attributable to reassessments of the association between IUD use and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in which authors conclude that the association is attributable to factors other than the IUD. This article examines recent studies that assess the risk of PID with IUD use, explains why some of the assumptions on which the arguments regarding a lack of an association between IUD use and PID are based might not be correct, and recommends additional trials to evaluate IUDs as one of several contraceptive options.
Gareen
Ilana F
IF
Center for Statistical Sciences and the Department of Community Health, Brown University School of Medicine, Box G-H, Providence, RI 02912, USA. igareen@stat.brown.edu
D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007434:Intrauterine Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D015983:Selection Bias; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology