Paper of the day: IUDs 'safe with history of STI'

Women with a history of sexually transmitted and other gynaecological infections who are not in stable monogamous relationships can safely use IUDs, a new study concludes.

The study reviewed the medical records of 200 women who had an IUD inserted between 2000 and 2005, and found that a third had a history of an STI, and a similar proportion had a history of other infections such as bacterial vaginosis. Half the women in the series were not married.

There were no differences in rates of complications between those who had a previous history of infection, and those who did not. But the study found that women who used an intrauterine system (IUS) releasing progestogen had fewer complications than women fitted with a standard copper-containing IUD.

The researchers conclude that IUDs are safe to use in women who do not have an acute infection of the cervix.