To Örebro University

BACKGROUND: Users of intrauterine devices (IUDs) have been found to have a lower incidence of cervical cancer in meta-analyses, but these studies have not been able to examine the influence of IUD type. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence of de novo high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in relation to the reported use of contraceptive methods, with special regard to different types of IUDs.

METHODS: A sample of participants in the national screening program for cervical cancer (n = 11,702) with a negative HPV test in 2017-2018 were included. Their subsequent HPV test results in 2020-2023 were analyzed in relation to their reported contraceptive method.

RESULTS: Participants who reported use of hormonal contraception had higher incidence of a positive HPV screening test (5.6%) compared with women with no reported contraception (4.2%) (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.01-1.64). There was no significant difference in HPV incidence among women who reported use of hormonal IUD (HIUD) or copper-containing IUD (CU-IUD). Women who reported use of the same contraceptive method in both screening rounds showed no significant differences in HPV incidence, regardless of the contraceptive method they had used.

CONCLUSION: The incidence of de novo HPV infections is not significantly different in users of different types of IUD.