Twelve-month comparative multicenter study of the TCu 380A and ML 250 intrauterine devices in Bangkok, Thailand

The long-term effectiveness of the copper-bearing intra uterine device (IUD ) has been documented. This paper reports le-month results from a multiyear comparative study of the Copper T (TCu) 380A and Multiload (ML) 250 IUD in Bangkok, Thailand, among 1396 women. Continuation of the assigned IUD was relatively high after 12 months of use, with continuation rates of 90.17 an d 87.54 per 100 women, respectively. Whereas the accidental pregnancy rate was higher for the ML 250 IUD than for the TCu 380A IUD (1.0 and 0.2 per 10 0 women, respectively), this difference was not considered statistically si gnificant (p <0.69). The rate of IUD expulsion was significantly higher amo ng women using the ML 250 IUD than for women using the TCu 380A IUD (4.61 a nd 2.40 per 100 women, respectively, p = 0.05). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science I nc. All rights reserved.