Antibiotic prophylaxis for intrauterine contraceptive device insertion

Prophylactic use of antibiotics to reduce of the risk of upper genital infection after IUD insertion yields no benefit with respect to pelvic inflammatory disease or IUD continuation rates.
RHL Commentary by Anibal Faúndes

EVIDENCE SUMMARY

This review concludes that at the present time there is no scientific basis for recommending the routine use of prophylactic antibiotics to reduce of the risk of upper genital infection after insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD).

The methodology appears to be appropriate.

The full RHL commentary also includes sections on:

Relevance
- Magnitude of the problem
- Feasibility of the intervention
- Applicability of the results of the Cochrane Review
- Implementation of the intervention
- Research
References


This document should be cited as: Anibal Faúndes. Administration of prophylactic antibiotics at IUD insertion: RHL commentary (last revised: 1 December 2001). The WHO Reproductive Health Library, No 9, Update Software Ltd, Oxford, 2006. www.rhlibrary.com