Intrauterine Devices

 
There are two basic types of Intrauterine devices (IUD’s); copper devices and hormone eluding devices. IUD’s are among the more effective methods of contraception with success rates greater than 99%. IUD’s are also the most common method of reversible birth control providing contraception for 160 million women worldwide.
Copper IUD’s can be left in place for 5 to 10 years or longer. They work by causing leucocytes and prostaglandins to be released from the uterus which together with the copper material in the IUD, have a spermicidal and ovicidal effect – they kill both sperm and egg cells.
Intrauterine hormone systems are technically not IUDs since they rely on a totally different mechanism of action. They act more like slow-release hormone (progestogen) implants although they function with lower blood-hormone levels. Intrauterine Hormone Systems are more than twice as effective than traditional IUD’s and they offer other (potentially advantageous) side-effects such reduced menstrual bleeding.

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