INTRAUTERINE DEVICE: THE COPPER IUD

While the IUD is inside the uterus, it prevents pregnancy. There are two types of IUDs available in Australia. They are the Copper IUD and the Progestogen IUD. First we’ll look at the Copper IUD because it is used more often.

What is a Copper IUD? A Copper IUD is a small white plastic device, about 3cm long. The types we have in Australia look like a little T, or like a little T with the arms curved downwards, and they have very fine copper wire wrapped around their stems. There is a fine nylon string attached to the end of the stem.

When the IUD is in the uterus, you can feel the string coming through the cervix into the upper end of the vagina. Only about 2cm comes through, so you need to feel right up inside your vagina with your finger to find it. When you can feel the string you know that the IUD is still in place. The string also makes it easier for a doctor to remove the IUD.

Are there different types of Copper IUDs? There are two different Copper IUDs available at present in Australia. They are the Multiload and the Copper T.

How does the Copper IUD work? We don’t really know exactly how it works. We know that it stops sperm from being able to move easily in the uterus and because the sperm cannot swim through the uterus to the tubes to meet an egg, a pregnancy can’t begin. Even if a sperm somehow did get to an egg to fertilize it, the action of the IUD touching the lining of the uterus and the copper in the IUD’s stem makes the lining change so a pregnancy cannot grow there.

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