title: [Study on the correlation between induced abortion and reproductive tract infections].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the correlation between induced abortion and reproductive tract infections (RTIs).
  
  
  METHODS
  On the basis of keeping the representation of cities under study, 53 652 fertile women aged 15 - 49 were surveyed by using a stratified-cluster-random sampling. Investigation and gynecological examination were conducted by two steps - firstly converging at the clinics, and then visiting those households for someone who did not show up at the clinics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among all the 32.0% (n=16 800) women ever having experienced the history of induced abortion, 21.1% (n = 11 090) of them had one, 7.6% (n=3976) women had two, and 4.1% (n=1734) women had at least three events. 59.0% (n=30 959) women among our studied samples had ever had RTI, with 30.9% (n=16 215) of them had only one 20.0% (n=10 494) women had two and 8.1% (n=4250) had three or more RTIs. Data from χ(2) text and ordinal regression analysis revealed that the rural married women who underwent more induced abortions were more likely to suffer from RTIs, especially cervical infection and PID.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed that the rates of induced abortion and reproductive tract infections among married women in Anhui province were both high. Women who underwent induced abortions had a higher prevalence rate of reproductive tract infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China.
authors.forename: Ren-jie
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiu-jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiang-jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Ya-ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiao-jiao
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Guo-bin
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D060737:Reproductive Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D055815:Young Adult