Are oral contraceptives masking symptoms of chlamydial cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease?

Abstract

Tubal factor infertility is often diagnosed without any documented history of pelvic inflammatory disease. Chlamydial infection is one of the most common causes of pelvic inflammatory disease and likely also of infertility and ectopic pregnancy. Oral contraceptives may alter the course of chlamydial infections which may mask the clinical expression of the disease. This paper considers a number of unresolved matters related to oral contraceptive use and its possible influence on the epidemiology and course of chlamydial pelvic inflammatory disease.

• Authors: P A Mårdh, B Hogg
• Journal: The European journal of contraception & reproductive health care : the official journal of the European Society of Contraception (Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care) Vol. 3 Issue 1 Pg. 41-3 (Mar 1998) ISSN: 1362-5187 [Print] England
• PMID: 9678072 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Contraceptives, Oral

Topics

• Chlamydia Infections (complications, diagnosis, epidemiology)
• Chlamydia trachomatis
• Contraceptives, Oral (adverse effects)
• Europe (epidemiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Infertility, Female (etiology)
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (diagnosis, epidemiology, etiology)
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy, Ectopic (etiology)
• Uterine Cervicitis (complications, diagnosis, epidemiology)