Intrauterine contraceptive device
OwnerDirk Wildemeerschinventor
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Abstract
The present invention concerns an intrauterine device comprising a support 41, and constituents 42, 43 releasing an active ingredient. In accordance with the invention, the active ingredient is constituted by copper with a surface area of 100 to 250 mm2 and by a steroid from the progesterone family with a release rate in the range 10% to 70% of the minimum release rate employed for the steroid concerned when it is used as a contraceptive active ingredient. With the device of the invention, contraceptive efficacy is very high and side effects are substantially reduced.
Claims8
An intrauterine device comprising a support and an ingredient releasing element for releasing an active ingredient, said active ingredient comprising copper and a steroid selected from the group consisting of natural progesterone, levonorgestrel and desogestrel, said copper having a surface area in the range 100 to 250 mm2, and said steroid being releasable at a release rate within the following range, as a function of the steroid used:
- for natural progesterone 5 to 35 μg/day;
- for levonorgestrel 2 to 14 μg/day;
- for desogestrel 0.1 to 0.7 μg/day.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.