Low risk of pelvic inflammatory disease in young never-pregnant women using Gravigard

Abstract

The present four-center investigation involves 516 never-pregnant women in whom a copper-7-intrauterine device (Cu-7-IUD) was inserted. Out of these patients 173 were teenagers at the time of insertion. A "small-sized" Cu-7-IUD (Cu-7-Nullip) - designed for nulliparous women - was randomely used instead of the commercially available Cu-7-IUD (GravigardR) in 76 - 44 of whom were teenagers - out of the 516 women. The incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) of 9,080 woman-months was reviewed. In the present study the incidence of PID varied from one center to another between 0.9 and 1.4 per cent/year in women wearing Cu-IUDs. When comparing these figures with the estimated incidence (1.2%) in the population of fertile-aged women, it was concluded that the risk for PID was not increased in never-pregnant women using Cu-IUDs, including teenagers as well as women of 20 years of age or more. No difference in the incidence of PID was observed between the GravigardR and the Cu-7 Nullip.

PIP: A prospective, 4-center study with special reference to the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in young nulligravida who use copper 7 IUDs is reported. This series included 516 never-pregnant women who had a copper 7 device (Gravigard) inserted during the period 1971-1978. 173 of this group were aged 15-19 years at time of insertion. A small-sized copper 7 nullip was randomly inserted in 44 teen-aged women and in 32/243 women aged 20 years or more. PID had occurred in 11 (2.1%) of the 516 patients. In 3 of these cases the PID was caused by gonorrhea. During the 1st month after insertion of the copper IUD, additional cases of PID occurred. In 4/5 the genital infection was caused by gonorrhea and occurred in teen-aged patients. A nullip had been inserted in 1/4 of these patients. Incidence rate of PID of 9080 woman-months varied from center to center from .9-1.4%/year in women wearing copper IUDs. When comparing these figures with the estimated incidence (1.2%) in the population of fertile-aged women, the risk for PID was not increased in never-pregnant women using copper IUDs, including teen-agers as well as women 20 years or older. No difference in the incidence of PID was observed between the Gravigard and the Nullip devices.