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SERUM IMMUNOGLOBULIN LEVELS IN WOMEN USING INTRAUTERINE CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES
Author(s) -
Shulman G.,
Polakow E. S.,
Bauer H. D.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1974.tb00436.x
Subject(s) - medicine , antibody , intrauterine device , immunoglobulin a , immunoglobulin g , immunology , physiology , family planning , population , research methodology , environmental health
Summary The uterine inflammatory response to the presence of an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) may have some role in the mechanism of action of the device. In comparing a group of women using a polythene IUCD (Lippes loop) with a control group, it was shown that there was a significant elevation in serum IgG and IgM (Holub et al., 1971). In the present study a stainless steel IUCD was used (Inhiband, Ayerst) to repeat the experiment measuring changes in serum immunoglobulins G, A and M in the same persons in order to exclude other non‐specific causes for any increases. IgA is usually the antibody related to inflammatory responses of mucosal surfaces, but such serum measurements were not mentioned in the group of women using polythene IUCDs. In this paper significant elevation of IgG and IgM was confirmed, but this tends to remit after about a year. A progressive rise in serum IgA levels was found to occur during the same period of study.