Incidence of de novo HPV infections in a previous HPV-negative group, related to use of different contraceptive methods: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract 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.