Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: The INFO Project

Your knowledge-sharing resource on family planning and reproductive health

Shopping Basket

Dr. Jim Shelton's Pearls "Pearl" for the week of October 31, 2003

IUDs and Vaginal Discharge

I really think that the IUD is an excellent method for many women. But I am concerned that many women that come to our clinic have a vaginal discharge. Can the IUD be provided to women with such a discharge?

Generally yes, the IUD can be provided. Some vaginal discharge is considered benign, but even vaginitis secondary to conditions such as yeast, trichomonas or bacterial vaginosis (BV) is classified by WHO as a Category 2 – “Generally use the method”. However, under the relatively uncommon circumstance that there is a purulent (puss-like) cervical discharge, then the IUD is not recommended.

Some programs may tend to avoid the IUD, because they mistakenly believe a high prevalence of vaginal discharge in the client population somehow reflects high rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia. This can deny many women an important contraceptive choice. Presence or absence of a vaginal discharge is actually not a very helpful indicator of gonorrhea or chlamydia.

References:

1. WHO. Improving access to quality care in family planning: Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use (Second edition). 2000. Geneva.

2. Sloan NL et al. Screening and syndromic approaches to identify gonorrhea and chlamydial infection among women. Stud Fam Plann. 2000 Mar;31(1):55-68.

The "Pearls" offer answers to commonly asked questions about family planning. These "Pearls" are prepared by Dr. James D. Shelton, Senior Medical Scientist, Office of Population, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Disclaimer: The information provided on this web site is not official U.S. Government information and does not represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Government or The Johns Hopkins University.