The effects of copper contraceptive intrauterine device on the uterine blood flow: A prospective transvaginal Doppler study

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the hemodynamic changes by transvaginal color Doppler sonography (CDS) in the uterine vascular bed after the insertion of a contraceptive intrauterine device (CIUD) and to investigate whether those CDS findings could predict potential side effects, such as dysmenorrhea and abnormal bleeding. METHOD: Pulsatility index (PI), resistance index, and systole/diastole ratio (S/D) were measured in the uterine artery and its myometrial branches on 28 patients before and after the insertion of copper IUD, and a correlation with dysmenorrhea and abnormal bleeding was investigated. RESULT: PI and S/D values in the uterine artery increased significantly after the insertion of the CIUD (p < 0.05). Patients with increased bleeding scores after insertion of CIUD had significantly lower uterine artery PI compared with those without increased bleeding scores (p < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was detected in the Doppler flow parameters regarding dysmenorrhea scores. CONCLUSION: Low uterine artery PI values recorded in the early phase of the menstrual cycle in patients with a CIUD were associated with an increased bleeding risk.