Background: Pelvic actinomycosis is a rare infection that can manifest as pelvic inflammatory disease and in severe cases can cause extensive fibrosis. Most cases are associated with long-standing use of an intrauterine device (IUD).
Case: A 30-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain, fever and a pelvic mass. She underwent removal of an intrauterine foreign body, surgical drainage of a tuboovarian abscess and intravenous antibiotic therapy. Pathology studies revealed that the foreign body consisted of bone tissue, and the agent of infection was identified as Actinomyces israelii.
Conclusion: Pelvic actinomycosis, although usually occurring in women using an IUD, may result from retained intrauterine fetal bone through a similar pathogenesis.