CONTRACEPTIVE USE AND REPRODUCTIVE HISTORY IN WOMEN WITH CERVICAL HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS INFECTION

The study was conducted to investigate whether cervical human papillom avirus infections (CHPI) are associated with contraceptive use and rep roductive history. The contraceptive and reproductive histories in 972 women seeking contraceptive advice were noted and screening conducted for human papillomavirus infection. The interview included number of pregnancies and childbirths, legal and spontaneous abortions, and mens trual pattern. Information about current use of contraceptive methods, about casual sex, and history of combined oral contraceptive pill (OC ) use was obtained. Women with a history of spontaneous abortion showe d a significant correlation with CHPI, as did women who used high-dose OCs when compared with the remaining study population (odds ratio 3.0 ). There was no association between use of low-dose OCs and CHPI. In m ultifactorial analyses with adjustment for age, number of lifetime sex ual partners, number of partners during the preceding six months and a ge at first intercourse, the significant correlation between use of hi gh-dose OCs and CHPI remained (adjusted odds ratio 2.8). The results i ndicate a relationship between female steroid hormones and the occurre nce of CHPI. An association with high-dose OCs could not be excluded.