ABSTRACT
IgA levels were measured in cervical mucous and serum of 24 fertile women using I.U.D'S [12 diabetics and 12 non-diabetics] and 24 fertile women not using any contraceptives [12 diabeties and 12 non-diabetics] between the 7[th] and 10[th] day of the menstrual cycle using the agar gel radial immunodiffusion. IgA levels in the cervical mucous and serum of I.U.D's users were significantly higher than in I.U.D's nonusers [4.83 +/- 1.9vs. 2.055 +/- 1.065] and [2.9 +/- 1.01vs. 1.58 +/- 0.66] respectively. The increased levels of IgA with the use of I.U.D's occurred in diabeties and non diabeties. However both cervical mucous and serum IgA levels were significantly lower in the diabetic group compared to the non diabeties whether using I.U.D's [3.91 +/- 1.25vs 5.75 +/- 2.42] respectively. A significant negative correlation was found between cervical mucous IgA levels and days of the cycle in the group not using I.U.D's whether diabetics or not. No significant correlation was found between the duration of use of I.U.D's and IgA levels in both cervical mucous and serum. While a significant negative correlation was found between the duration of diabetes and IgA levels in cervical mucous but not in serum. It is concluded that using I.U.D's resulted in higher levels of IgA in cervical mucous and serum. This elevation in IgA levels was less marked in the cervical mucous of diabetic females which may implicate a lower efficacy of I.U.D's as a method of contraception in diabetics