Copper intravas device (IVD) and male contraception

An alternative method of male contraception is crucial at this stage of increasing population in the developing world. A non-obstructive, non-hormonal, reversible method of male contraception would find acceptance in oriental communities. Our experience with copper IVD in small animals has been encouraging. We present here an extension of the use of the copper IVD in the rhesus monkey. Treated male rhesus ejaculate showed fifteen-to thirty-five-fold increase in copper levels up to 10 months after insertion of Cu IVD . Semen analysis showed an increase of dead sperm (23.0% - 52.3%; control 4.5% - 14.0%) and decrease in percentage of motile sperm (10-30%; control 70-80%). Fertility studies using treated male rhesus of proven fertility from the breeding colony mated with cycling females of proven fertility showed highly significant reduction of fertility up to 13 months (P less than 0.001). Reduction in fertility of the treated rhesus was also significant up to a period of 23 months (P less than 0.01). A reversal of contraceptive effect and increase in sperm count and motility is observed after 13 months post-treatment. Studies are required to achieve an increase in the effective life span of the IVD .