RESUMO
In a survey of reproductive habits and cervical pathology in 1015 women of the Qashghaee nomadic tribe of southern Iran, a high prevalence (80%) of cervicitis was observed. The effects of reproductive and other habits on risk of cervicitis were therefore assessed using proportional odds modelling. Increased risks of a higher degree of cervicitis were associated with middle to late age (p = 0.02), a history of delivery of children (p = 0.001), intercourse during menses (p = 0.03) and a history of ever giving birth in a maternity hospital (p = 0.02). A lower risk was associated with increased duration of marriage (p = 0.05). The increased risk observed for history of birth in maternity hospital may reflect a prior obstetric problem which predisposes to both cervicitis and seeking the specialist obstetric care provided in the maternity hospital. Results suggest an infectious agent which may be transmitted in childbirth.
PIP: A survey conducted in 1991-92 among 1015 randomly selected married women of the Qashghaee nomadic tribe of Iran revealed a cervicitis incidence of 81%. The survey included a questionnaire, a cervical Pap smear, and a cervical clinical examination. There were 2 cases of cervical carcinoma in situ. In the multivariate analysis, cervicitis was significantly and positively associated with age, number of deliveries, intercourse during menses, and a history of ever giving birth in a maternity hospital and negatively associated with duration of marriage. The increased risk associated with childbirth suggests that at least one infectious agent causing cervicitis is contracted at delivery. The unexpected increased risk associated with use of a maternity hospital may reflect the existence of a prior obstetric problem associated with both cervicitis and specialist care.
