Contraceptives and acute salpingitis

In 546 women with a first episode of salpingitis, the degree of inflammation of the fallopian tubes, as seen during laparoscopy, was graded into mild, moderate, and severe. The patients were subgrouped according to contraceptive use into (1) reference group (women not using intrauterine [contraceptive] devices [IUDs] or oral contraceptives [OCs]) (2) IUD group, and (3) OC group. Mild, moderate, and severe salpingitis occurred in 51.3%, 34.6%, and 24.1% of the women in the reference group. The corresponding percentages for the women in the IUD group were 54.6%, 29.7%, and 15.7%, and for the patients in the OC group, 73.5%, 17.1%, and 9.4%, respectively. Women using OCs had significantly milder degrees of inflammation of the fallopian tubes than women with other contraceptive methods. Age could not explain the differences.