Untreated endocervical gonorrhea and endometritis following elective abortion

A matched-pair analysis of 228 cases of endometritis occurring over a two-year period in 4,823 elective abortion patients was carried out. Patients with postabortal endometritis were matched with control subjects for age, parity, race, pay status, time of abortion, and type of abortion procedure. The prevalence of endocervical gonorrhea was 2.7% in the entire group seeking abortion, with 14.7% of patients with gonorrhea subsequently developing endometritis. The matched-pair analysis detected a threefold increased risk for endometritis in patients with untreated gonoccocal endocervicitis when compared with control subjects (p less than 0.05). The significance of these findings to centers performing abortions is discussed.