الفهرس Only 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 226 |  |  |
| | | from | 226 | | |
Abstract
ntrauterine devices (IUDs) are highly effective, longterm
methods of contraception; and it is also very
cost-effective. It is one of the most popular methods of
contraception being used by more than 80 million
women worldwide, and its effectiveness rivals that of
tubal sterilization.
However, there are concerns about increased risk
of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and subsequent
complications, such as infertility and ectopic
pregnancy, among the IUD users. Some researchers
have speculated that the presence of an IUD in the
uterus may increase host susceptibility to infection,
thus increasing the incidence of PID infections.
Indeed, IUDs are considered to cause PIDIndeed, IUDs are considered to cause PID by
pushing vaginal and cervical bacteria into the uterus
along the tail of the device. Micro-organisms
originating from the normal cervico-vaginal flora then
colonize these devices and form biofilms consisting of
layers of host cells and bacteria/fungi embedded within
a matrix material. The main component of the biofilm
produced by the bacteria and/or fungi is anexopolysaccharide layer, which is the pivotal factor
responsible for the behaviour of biomaterial centered
infection. The biofilm bacteria are usually resistant to
attack by antimicrobial agents and host phagocytes.
This is one reason why infections caused by these
micro-organisms are hard to treat without removal of
the devices.The aim of the present study is to detect the
presence of microbial biofilms on copper intrauterine
devices, to characterize the microorganisms
associated with these biofilms and to correlate these
finding with patient symptoms and microbiological
study of the vagina.
In the present study the sample size consisted of 50
women who want to remove IUD randomly selected and
we included only married, parous women, who were only
in a stable long term relationship. Moreover, they were
sharing nearly the same personal hygiene and sexual
behavior; so, we can presume that they were probably at
allow risk for sexually transmitted diseases.