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 .

PIP: An alternative method of male contraception is crucial at this stage of increasing population in the developing world. A nonobstructive, nonhormonal, reversible method of male contraception would find acceptance in Oriental communities. Our experience with the copper intravas device (IVD) in small animals has been encouraging. The present study is an extension of the use of the copper IVD in the rhesus monkey. Treated male rhesus ejaculate showed 15-35 fold increase in copper levels up to 10 months after insertion of the Cu IVD. Semen analysis showed an increase of dead sperm (23.0%-52.3%; control 4.5%-14.0%) and a decrease in the 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 reductions in fertility up to 13 months (P0.001). A reduction in fertility of the treated rhesus was also significant up to a period of 23 months (P0.01). A reversal of contraceptive effect and an increase in sperm count and motility is observed after 13 months posttreatment. Studies are required to achieve an increase in the effective span life of the IVD.

Further studies of an intravasal copper device in rats.

A 1.5 cm long copper wire caused complete inhibition of fertility in male rats when placed properly in the vasal lumen. The contraceptive effectiveness of the device was directly proportional to the surface area of the device and was non-obstructive. The release rate of copper in vivo from a 1.5 cm long wire was 11.6 micrograms/day during the first month and 6.8 micrograms/day over the first 3 months. The contraceptive action of the wire starts about 20 days after insertion. Fertility was regained in 67% of the rats by 90 days after removal of the device. Similar devices of stainless steel and silver did not affect fertility.

Effect of intravasal copper on the fertility of rats.

Copper wire was inserted into the vas deferens and its effect of the reproductive system and fertility performance of rats was investigated. The copper wire was 100% effective as a contraceptive for up to 4 months if placed correctly, and resulted in decapitation of most of the spermatozoa. No differences between the rats with an intravasal copper wire and the sham-operated controls were found for the weights of the gonads and accessory sex glands or for protein, RNA, DNA and fructose concentrations. The intravasal copper device appears to be promising for the development of a long-term method for male contraception.