Clinicopathological problems of the local tissue effect of copper-containing IUDs. II. Electron-microscopic study of the endometrial scraping.

For assessment of the tissue effect of copper-containing IUDs routine electron microscopic study was made of the endometrial scrapings. It was established that there was evidence of severe, degenerative changes not only on the IUD but also in the endometrial cells and, occasionally, also in the muscle layer of the uterus. These were characterized by pyknosis of the endometrial cells and alterations of the intracellular components. In this material of the study of 22 endometrial specimens obtained from beside IUDs, relatively few microtubuli were found in the endometrial cells. The changes seemed to be too severe to be ascribed to a sterile inflammation. The sporadic changes in the endothelial cells were found to be non-specific.