GB1334613A - Contraceptive devices - Google Patents

Abstract

1334613 Contraceptive device I H W ANDERSON 26 Nov 1971 [30 Nov 1970] 55042/ 71 Heading A5R A contraceptive device 5 comprises a body adapted to be positioned within a human uterus, cervix or vagina, the body including at least two electrochemically dissimilars, substantially biologically inert metals which interact with each other in the uterine/vaginal environment, interaction between the metals resulting in a change in the normal pH value of the environment.. The device has an aperture 6 to facilitate insertion into the uterus using an instrument (12) (Figs. 2, 3, not shown), and a tail 7 attached to the end of 'the device for its removal. The device may be formed from a medical grade silicon rubber containing aluminium and silver-tin alloy metals in powder form although other metals, e.g. zinc, copper, iron, nickel and platinum may be used. Alternatively, the device may be formed from a sheet of metal-impregnated silicon rubber followed by a stamping-out operation, or by laminating two sheets of the silicone rubber to form a composite sheet with a different metal incorporated in each original sheet, again followed by stamping-out the devices. Etching or abrading may be necessary after such a step to ensure exposure of the metal powder, and also barium sulphate may be compounded with the rubber in order to facilitate X-ray detection. Further, known intra-uterine devices may be coated with at least two differing metals, or thin coils of the metals may be wound around the devices, or alternatively, metal powder may be incorporated in the material of these known devices.