THE INFLUENCE OF COPPER SURFACE-AREA ON MENSTRUAL BLOOD-LOSS AND IRON STATUS IN WOMEN FITTED WITH AN IUD

The influence of copper surface area on menstrual blood loss (MBL) was evaluated in 34 healthy women (mean age 36.4 ± 1.4 yr, range 27-46 yr), who were fitted with a Multiload intrauterine device (IUD) with either 250 mm2 (MLCu-250) or 375 mm2 (MLCu-375) copper wire. MBL prior to IUD insertion was 54.4 ± 10.3 ml for women subsequently fitted with a MLCu-250 and 56.9 ± 6.9 ml for women fitted with a MLCu-375. An increase (p < 0.01) in MBL was recorded 3 months after IUD insertion for both the women fitted with a MLCu-250 (86.4 ± 10.3 ml) and a MLCu-375 (81.1 ± 8.3 ml). This increase in MBL remained unchanged throughout the study period of one year. At no point were there any significant differences in MBL or increase in MBL between women fitted with a MLCu-250 or MLCu-375. There were no significant differences in serum ferritin, blood hemoglobin, hematocrit or erythrocyte indices before IUD insertion in the women grouped according to type of IUD, nor were any significant changes recorded in any of these parameters after IUD insertion. Thus, our findings that the increase in copper surface area from 250 mm2 to 375 mm2 had no effect on MBL were also substantiated by the hematological findings. © 1990.