A comparison of the Lippes Loop and two copper-bearing intrauterine devices.

A review of published studies and studies conducted through the International Fertility Research Program on the Lippes Loop D, TCu and Cu-7 shows that none of the three devices evaluated is better with respect to continuation and all types of event rates. There is a trend toward lower expulsion rates for the copper-bearing IUDs, but other factors such as the cost of devices and the need for replacement must be considered in determining the merits of the devices for large-scale programs.