Vaginal infections in family planning regular visitors
M.M. Inal1,
S. Kose2, K. Ertopcu1, M.E. Avci1, A. Donmez1, I. Ergin1, I. Ozelmas1, S. Tinar1
1Aegean
Obst&gyn Teaching and Research Hospital, Family Planning Department, Izmir,
Turkey, and 2Tepecik Teaching and Research Hospital, Department of Microbiology,
Izmir, Turkey
Objective To investigate the frequency and types of vaginal
infections in cases without any complaint who intend to apply for Family
Planning services or to apply for the control of previously used services.
Material and methods A totals of 1373 cases who applied to our Family Planning Department
for the control of their on-going contraceptive method or who applied to our
Family Planning Department for the first time for a contraceptive method in
between March 2003 and July 2004 were enrolled into the study. Having no
gynecologic complaint including vaginal bleeding was accepted as the inclusive
criteria for being enrolled into the study. After gynecologic examination,
vaginal cultures of all of the cases were taken. Infection was diagnosed by
using Gram staining and Amsel criterias.
Results Mean age of the cases was 23.4
years. Mean parity number and pregnancy number were 2.12 and 4.31, respectively.
63% of the cases were using a contraceptive method, whereas the rest 37% of the
cases had applied for the first time for a contraceptive method. Intrauterine
device (IUD) was the most frequently used contraceptive method (48%) in
contraceptive using group. Vaginal cultures of cases revealed Staphylococcus
aureus in 11.3% of cases, Staph. epidermidis in 3.5% of cases, E.Coli in 1.6% of
cases, Gardnerella vaginalis in 13.2% of cases and Trichomonas
vaginalis in 6.1%
of cases.
Growth of microorganisms which normally habitate in vaginal flora
after spoiling of the acidic vaginal media, is one of the most important factors
for the onset of most vaginal infections. It can be suggested that vaginal
douche which is a widely used habit in Turkish women population can be the most
important factor of this table. Although rate of growth of pathogenic
microorganisms in asymptomatic women in international literature is in between
3.1%-8.4%, the high rate observed in our country women with this study is a
evidence of low accomodation of our country women to hygenic conditions.
Conclusion Systematic gynecologic examination of women even in asymptomatic
situations is very important both for personal and public health.