ABSTRACT
The effect of intrauterine contraceptive device on chlamydia trachomatis infection was examined in 160 women attending the family planning clinic at Ain Shams Maternity Hospital. They were asymptomatic. Two endocervical swabs were taken and innoculated into Hela cells, and the sera of these women were examined for chlamydial antibodies by indirect immunofluor scent technique. In group I consisting of 120 women using copper T380 A applied for variable periods with mean age 27.9 years; 6 IUD users had positive chlamydial culture [5%] and 21 of IUD users had positive test of chlamydial antibodies [17.5%]. Group I is divided into 3 subgroups on the basis of duration of application of the IUD; it is found that the duration of IUD use has no effect on the prevalence of chlamydial endocervical infection as regard the detection by the culture method. By serological methods, the prevalence of chlamydial infection in the subgroups of group I [study group], was found to be of no statistical significance. In group II [control group] which included 40 women of mean age 27.5 years, the prevalence of chlamydial infection by the culture method was 2.5%, and the serological method was 12.5%. There was no relationship between the prevalence of chlamydial infection and IUD application regardless the duration of use. Further studies are needed to confirm this finding especially researches concerning with the use of different methods of contraception and using different types of IUDs