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- Title
Use of barrier methods with spermicides may increase vaginal flora.
- Authors
Rind, P.
- Abstract
This article presents a study that examined the presence of Escherichia coli bacteriuria and vaginal colonization among users of the pill, the diaphragm and the condom. Women are likely to have increased levels of Escherichia coli in their vagina and in their urine several hours after intercourse and the presence of Escherichia coli in the vagina can lead to urinary tact infection. Women who use barrier methods with spermicides are far more likely than pill users to have higher levels of Escherichia coli several hours after intercourse than they had prior to intercourse. The study found that prevalence among oral contraceptive users of Escherichia coli presence in the vagina and urine was similar about 36 hours following intercourse to that at baseline, while the prevalence among diaphragm and condom users remained high. Women interested in participating in the study were asked to abstain from intercourse for five days prior to its beginning. On the day of the enrollment, they were screened for a variety of infections and behaviors. A total of 104 women were accepted into the study, all of them students of the University of Washington. Thirty-four were pill users, 32 were condom-foam users and 36 were diaphragm jelly users.
- Subjects
ESCHERICHIA coli; VAGINAL diseases; ORAL contraceptives; VAGINAL diaphragms; CONDOMS
- Publication
Family Planning Perspectives, 1991, Vol 23, Issue 3, p142
- ISSN
0014-7354
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/2135831