Return of fertility after use of IUDs (Nova-T, MLCu250 and MLCu375)

In a randomized prospective study of three copper-containing IUDs, those women who terminated contraception in order to become pregnant were studied for return of fertility. The gross cumulative pregnancy rate was 79.3 after 11 months and 90.4 after 23 months of observation. There were no significant differences in the return of fertility related to the type of IUD, duration of use, parity or maternal age. However, parous women showed a tendency to initiate pregnancy more easily than nulliparous women (p less than 0.10). The seven women who did not conceive within 18 months of IUD removal had a fertility work-up. Five of these women later became pregnant after clomiphene stimulation. In no case could tubal pathology be identified as the sole explanation for infertility. After 35 months of observation, 95 out of 97 past users of IUDs have conceived. The use of copper-containing IUDs does not seem to affect subsequent fertility among women living in stable relationships.