Modern intrauterine devices (IUDs) are safe, effective, and quickly reversible long-term contraceptives that require little attention after insertion. Yet safety concerns and programmatic challenges have held back IUD services in many countries. New assessment of research findings, recently translated into guidance by the World Health Organization, should help reassure providers that most women can use IUDs safely. 

Current generation IUDs offer almost complete protection from pregnancy.  Some models are effective longer than any other reversible family planning method and when correctly inserted, are safe for women at low risk of sexually transmitted disease.  Since IUDs prevent pregnancy so effectively, they save many lives.  This paper is divided into sections on the following topics: long-term IUD effectiveness, the clearer understanding of the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease associated with IUD use, the provider's crucial role, the ba

Use of the IUD is safer than pregnancy and more effective in preventing pregnancy than oral contraceptives, condoms, spermicides, barrier methods, or natural family planning.  The current generation of IUDs is safe for most women and about 99% effective over 1 year of use.  Not all women should use IUDs.  The provider must screen potential users, insert the IUD correctly, and follow up the users.  Background informati

 This discussion of IUDs covers the following:  usage shifts to copper IUDs; issues for the 1980s; comparing the Lippes Loop and copper IUDs; life span of copper devices; steroid releasing IUDs; donor agency supplies; types of devices used; insertion and removal (timing of interval insertion, postpartum insertion, postabortion insertion, postcoital insertion, measuring the uterus, removal, and insertion by nurse midwives and paramedicals); bleeding (risk of anemia, limited bleeding); infection (mechanisms of infection, prevention, treatment,

 Competitive After nearly two decades of use, the IUD remains "a generally safe, effective and useful form of birth control". With fewer than six pregnancies per 100 woman-years of use and fewer than ten deaths per one million woman-years of use, according to a comprehensive new review by the United States Food and Drug Administration, the IUD has an important place in modern family planning programs. The number of women using IUDs is growing slowly but steadily.

 A decade of international experience with the intrauterine device (I UD) is reviewed.  It is estimated that 15 million IUDs are being worn throughout the world.  The Lippes loop D is perhaps the most effective IUD in use.  The Copper T and Cu-7 devices are appropriate for nulliparous women.  The IUD apparently has a differing mode of action from species to species.  In humans, the IUD does not interfere with ovulation, corpus luteum formation, or, to some extent, sperm transport and fertilization

 The current status of research and development with copper IUDs is reviewed in this report.  A copper IUD resembles other IUDs except that a copper wire is twisted around the plastic device.  The 3 configurations tested with copper have been the T, the 7, and the Lippes loop.  Zipper demonstrated the antifertility effects of copper in 1969.  Although early reports were very encouraging, 2-year cumulative gross e