Women who use an intrauterine device for birth control may have a lower risk of developing cervical cancer, according to a new review and meta-analysis. In the new study, published yesterday (Nov. 8) in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, researchers found that the rate of cervical cancer was one-third lower in women who used an intrauterine device (IUD) than in those who did not use such a device.
The researchers cautioned that because the review didn't include clinical work to determine how an IUD might prevent cervical cancer, the results don't mean people should get the device for cancer prevention, said lead author, an epidemiologist at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. Cervical cancer is almost always caused by certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), according to the World Health Organization. But only about 1 in 10 women…
