[Contraception and Gardnerella vaginalis. First study of the Italian population]

The association between contraception and Gardnerella vaginalis was studied in the population of L'Aquila. This research was conducted in the cytocolposcopic Center of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinic, and the Department of Biotechnology and Biometry at L'Aquila University on 1212 females. Of the examined patients, 178 (14.7%) employed a prophylactic method and of these 104 (58.4%) used barrier-systems, while 74 (41.6%) used estroprogestins. Gardnerella vaginalis was isolated in 63 females (6.1%) that used no contraceptive and 19 (10.7%) that employed one.