Question

IUDs are ideal contraceptives for the females who want to delay pregnancy and/or space children. Explain.

Answer 1

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are contraceptive devices inserted into the uterus by healthcare professionals through the vagina. They come in different forms, including non-medicated types like the Lippes loop, copper-releasing types such as CuT and Multiload 375, and hormone-releasing types like Progestasert and LNG-20. These devices prevent pregnancy primarily by increasing the phagocytosis of sperm cells within the uterus. Copper ions released by copper-containing IUDs reduce sperm motility and their ability to fertilize eggs. Hormone-releasing IUDs further inhibit pregnancy by making the uterine environment unsuitable for implantation of the fertilized egg and by making the cervix hostile to sperm, thereby reducing sperm penetration and survival.