Early experience with the copper 7, copper T220C and multiload 250 intrauterine devices.

: A preliminary study was conducted to assess the progress made in the IUD project being carried out at 3 university centers in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Medan. The three IUDs studied were the Copper 7 (Cu-7), the Copper T220C, and the Multiload 250 (MLCu250). Due to the fact that the number of acceptors was relatively small, only the first six months of use were analyzed. The study group consisted of 574 parous women who chose the IUD as the sole method of contraception. Insertions were made in the interval period, either 4 weeks following an abortion or 8 weeks after a delivery. Allocation of the device was made on a random basis and all patients had been followed up for at least 6 months or had been terminated from study by August 31, 1977. The age range of acceptors was 19-35 years. The mean parity was 2.6. Of the 572 insertions made, 70 or 12.2% were terminated in the first 6 months of use. The overall continuation rate at 6 months was 87.7/l00 users for a total of 3253 woman-months of use. The removal rate for pain/bleeding was comparable among the three IUDs. The mean of 3.1/l00 users is low in contrast to the rate of 9.9 for the Lippes Loop. The primary differences between the devices was in their rates for expulsion and accidental, but the data is too small at this time for any tests of significance to be meaningful. If present trends continue, the TCU 220C may prove to be the most effective device.