title: The effect of contraceptive methods on reproductive tract infections risk: a cross-sectional study having a sample of 52,481 women.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between specific contraceptives use and reproductive tract infections (RTIs).
  
  
  
  Participants consisted of 52,481 rural married women of reproductive age identified from a cross-sectional study in Anhui Province of China. The questionnaire, gynecological examination, and laboratory inspection were used to collect data. The subgroup analysis was performed to estimate the effect of the specific contraceptives on the specific RTIs.
  
  
  
  A total of 49,970 (95.2 %) women used contraceptive methods and 31,390 (59.8 %) women had at least one RTI. Overall, use of intrauterine device (IUD), condom, female sterilisation, rhythm method, and oral contraceptive (OC) were associated with RTIs. In the subgroup analysis, IUD use was a risk factor for endocervicitis, bacterial vaginosis (BV), and trichomoniasis; condom, rhythm method, and OC were associated with endocervicitis; female sterilisation was associated with endocervicitis and trichomoniasis. Moreover, male sterilisation was associated with endocervicitis; withdrawal was a protective factor for endocervicitis and a risk factor for trichomoniasis; subdermal implant was associated with candidiasis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
  
  
  
  All the contraceptive methods may lead to the RTIs. A properly assessment for contraceptive methods use is needed for female reproductive health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li-Ya
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: OuYang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China. zxj731024@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiu-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiu-De
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ye-Huan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D060737:Reproductive Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Bacterial vaginosis; Condom; Contraceptive; Intrauterine device; Reproductive tract infections