CYTOGENETIC EFFECTS OF COPPER-CONTAINING INTRAUTERINE CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICE (IUCD) ON BLOOD-LYMPHOCYTES

Forty women using the copper-containing intrauterine contraceptive dev ice (IUCD) for various periods and 22 control women were studied. The copper and zinc levels were measured in the plasma of the IUCD users a nd the control group. Chromosomal analyses were performed on blood lym phocytes of the same groups. Results showed that plasma copper level w as significantly higher in the IUCD users than in that of controls (1. 25 +/-:0.14 mu g/ml vs. 0.89 +/- 0.04 mu g/ml, P < 0.05). A decline in plasma zinc level from 2.90 +/- 0.41 mu g/ml to 1.27 +/- 0.13 mu g/ml , P < 0.05, with a significant alteration in plasma copper/zinc ratio was also measured in the IUCD women (62% vs. 111%, P < 0.05). Chromoso mal aberrations (4.47 +/- 1.40 vs. 0.62 +/- 0.12/100 cell, P < 0.01) a nd high frequencies of sister chromatid exchanges (8.79 +/- 0.46 vs. 6 .59 +/- 0.19 SCE/cell, P < 0.01) were evident in the IUCD women especi ally in those using the IUCD for more than 24 months. The combination of high copper plasma level, chromosomal aberrations and the increased frequency of sister chromatid exchange may support the existence of a positive correlation between the long term use of the IUCDs and DNA d amage in the host somatic cells. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.