EFFECT OF IUD (INTRAUTERINE DEVICE) ON REPRODUCTIVE TRACT INFECTION (RTI) IN THE NORTHERN WEST BANK

The majority of women in the study sample had some education, but only small percent had college education (11.2% of IUD users, and 15.1% of non-users). Most of women in the study were housewives.

Frequency of reported RTI related symptoms: Table 2 shows that only 26(13%) of women in the study had no symptoms, they were almost equally divided between the two groups in the study (54%) were IUD users, and (46%) non-users. The most frequently reported symptom was the presence of vaginal discharge (a total of 159 women), the majority of whom (73%) were IUD users. All other symptoms were present in both IUD users and nonusers, but were reported in a much higher frequency among IUD users.     

Vaginal discharge and the use of IUD: Table 3 shows the relationship between the vaginal discharge, its characteristics and the use of IUD. There was no statistical difference among non IUD users in regards to vaginal discharge characteristics, however the majority of IUD users had significant high scores of altered vaginal discharge .The differences in alteration of vaginal discharge was statistically significant when comparing between IUD users and non users (P=0.003).

Table 3 also shows the relationship between vaginal discharge characteristics and culture results. Overall there was no significant difference between positive culture results and vaginal discharge characteristics (P=0.54), nor was a significant difference of bacterial types and vaginal discharge characteristics (P=0.266).

Table 2: Frequency of reported symptoms according to IUD use

Symptom IUD users Non-users Total*
  No. % No. % No. %
Vaginal discharge 116 73 43 27 159 100
Lower abd. pain 75 82.4 16 17.6 91 100
Odour 62 73 23 27 85 100
Dysparaunia 50 84.7 9 15.3 59 100
Itching 46 75.4 15 24.6 61 100
Burning 34 73.9 12 26.1 46 100
Fever 10 66.7 5 33.3 15 100
No symptoms 14 54 12 46 26 100

* Note: The total number of IUD users having symptoms will add to more than 134, and non users to more than 66 because the same woman has more than one symptom.