Areas of major use: TCu-380A—worldwide; TCu-380S—Canada, Western Europe, Hong Kong.

TCu-200 and TCu-200B

Description: Polyethylene with barium sulfate added for visibility on x-rays. 200 mm² copper wire wrapped around stem. The TCu-200B (shown) has a ball at the tip of the stem; the TCu-200 does not.

Developers: Howard Tatum (US) and Jaime Zipper (Chile).

Date first marketed: 1972.

Major distributors: TCu-200B—Produtos Medicos Ltda., Brazil; TCu-200—Janssen-Ortho Canada.

Length: 36 mm.          Width: 32 mm.

Strings: Two; color varies.

Inserter type and diameter: Withdrawal; 4.4 mm.

Lifespan demonstrated in clinical trials: 6 years.

Approved lifespan: US, 4 years; various European countries, 3 years; Canada, 2 years.

Areas of major use: Bangladesh, India.

Nova T and CuNovaT

Description: Polyethylene with barium sulfate added for visibility on x-rays. Nova T (shown) has 200 mm² copper wire with a silver core wrapped around the stem. CuNovaT has 380 mm2 wire wrapped around the stem.

Developers: Leiras Oy, Finland.

Date first marketed: Nova T—1979; CuNovaT—1994.

Major distributors: Nova T—Leiras Oy in Scandinavian countries; Schering AG in other countries worldwide; also Pharmacia (Novagard) in UK. CuNovaT—Leiras Oy.

Length: 32 mm.          Width: 32 mm.

Strings: Two brown.

Inserter type and diameter: Withdrawal; 3.6 mm.

Approved lifespan: Nova T and CuNovaT—5 years in various European countries.

Lifespan demonstrated in clinical trials: Nova T—5 years; CuNovaT—3 years to date.

Areas of major use: Nova T—Europe, Canada, Asia and Pacific; CuNovaT—Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden.

Lippes Loop

Description: Polyethylene with barium sulfate added for visibility on x-rays. Available in four sizes, designated A (left) through D (right).

Developer: Jack Lippes (US).

Date first marketed: 1962.

Major distributor: P.T. Kimia Farma, Indonesia (in-country distribution only).

Length: A—26.2 mm; B—25.2 mm; C—27.5 mm; D—27.5 mm.

Width: A—22.2 mm; B—27.4 mm; C—30.0 mm; D—30.0 mm.

Strings: Two; A—blue, B—black, C—yellow, D—white.

Inserter type and diameter: Push-out; 4.7 mm.

Areas of major use: Formerly, worldwide except China; currently, Indonesia.

Multiload-250 (MLCu-250) and 375 (MLCu-375)

Description: Polyethylene with two flexible arms with spurs. The MLCu-250 has 250 mm2 copper wire on the stem and is available in 2 sizes, Standard (top left) and Short (top right). The MLCu-375 has 375 mm2 copper wire and is available in 2 sizes, Standard (bottom left) and SL (bottom right).

Developer: W.A.A. van Os (Netherlands).

Date first marketed: 1974.

Distributors: Produced by Multilan AG, Switzerland, in Ireland and by Nanjing Organon Pharmaceutical Products, China. Distributed through subsidiaries of NV Organon, the Netherlands, member of AKZO-NOBEL Pharma Division; Laboratoires CCD, France. Also manufactured for in-country use in Indonesia.

Length: Standard (250 and 375)—35 mm; 375SL—29 mm; 250 Short—24 mm.

Width: All types—18 mm.

Strings: Two blue or colorless.

Inserter type: Withdrawal (no plunger).

Insertion diameter: All types—12 mm (arms remain outside inserter tube).

Lifespan demonstrated in clinical trials: MLCu-375--5 years.

Approved lifespan: MLCu-250—3 years; MLCu-375—5 years.

Areas of major use: Europe (including Russia and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States), Australia, India, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries, New Zealand, Latin America.

TCu-220C

Description: Polyethylene with barium sulfate added for visibility on x-rays. 220 mm2 copper in 7 copper sleeves—2 on the arms and 5 on the stem.

Developer: Population Council (US).

Date first marketed: 1980.

Major distributors: Laboratorios Alpha, Mexico; Tianjin Medical Instrument Corporation, Factory No. 4, China (in-country distribution only).

Length: 36 mm.          Width: 32 mm.

Strings: Two.

Inserter type and diameter: Withdrawal; 4.4 mm.

Lifespan demonstrated in clinical trials: 10 years.

Approved lifespan: Mexico, 3 years.

Areas of major use: China, Mexico

Progestasert Intrauterine Progesterone Contraceptive System

Description: Ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer. Vertical stem contains a reservoir of 38 mg progesterone and barium sulfate (for visibility on x-rays) in silicone oil base. Releases 65 micrograms progesterone per 24 hours.

Developer: Alza Corporation (US).

Date first marketed: 1976.

Distributors: Alza Corporation, US; Theraplix Divison, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, France.

Length: 36 mm.          Width: 32 mm.

Strings: Two blue-black.

Inserter type and diameter: Withdrawal; 8 mm.

Approved lifespan: US, one year; France, 18 months.

Areas of major use: US, France.

Levonorgestrel (LNG-20) Intrauterine System (Mirena/Levonova)

Description: Polyethylene T frame surrounded by a levonorgestrel-containing cylinder. The cylinder is covered with a rate-controlling membrane. The release rate is 20 micrograms levonorgestrel per 24 hours.

Developers: Leiras Oy with the Population Council.

Date first marketed: 1990 in Finland.

Major distributors: Leiras Oy in Scandinavian countries and Asia-Pacific, Pharmacia-Leiras in selected European countries.

Length: 32 mm.          Width: 32 mm.

Hormone cylinder: length 19 mm, outer diameter 2.8 mm, inner diameter 1.2 mm.

Strings: Two brown.

Inserter type and diameter: Withdrawal; 4.75 mm.

Lifespan demonstrated in clinical trials: 5 years.

Approved lifespan: UK, 3 years; other countries, 5 years.

Areas of major use: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden. Launched in UK and Singapore in 1995. Also approved for use in Belgium, France, Iceland, and Switzerland.