A comparative study of the effectiveness of the Lippes Loop, the Copper-T-200, and the Nova-T intrauterine contraceptive devices in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Two hundred five women attending the Family Planning Clinic of the Department of Community Health were admitted into a nonrandomised study to compare the effectiveness of the Copper-T-200, Nova-T, and Lippes Loop intrauterine devices. Members of the study group of women were found to be older than their European counter-parts and also tended to have a higher parity (81.0% of the total group having more than three children). The expulsion rates and removal rates for bleeding and pain for Copper-T-200 and Nova-T users were respectively 6.5 and 3.8 and 5.0 and 1.5. These results were significantly lower than the rates for the Lippes Loop users which were 14.7 and 6.7, respectively. The continuation rates were higher for the Copper-T-200 (88.2) and the Nova-T (91.3) than for the Lippes Loop (75.5). These findings were essentially similar to those of other worldwide studies.