title: The influence of copper intrauterine device on fatty acid composition of cervical mucus lecithin.
abstract: Fatty acid composition of lecithin was analysed in midcycle cervical mucus obtained from 19 women using a copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD) and 16 controls. In both groups, palmitic (16:0) acid was the predominant fatty acid and oleic (18:1) acid the second largest component. In women using a Cu-IUD, levels of myristic (14:0) acid were significantly lower, while levels of linoleic (18:2) and docosahexaenoic (22:6) acid were significantly higher than in controls. These changes in fatty acid composition could not be related to duration of IUD use and were very similar to those observed in women with primary unexplained infertility, suggesting that the Cu-IUD-induced modification of fatty acid pattern in midcycle mucus lecithin may be part of the contraceptive mechanism of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pschera
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Lindhe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kjaeldgaard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000032:analysis*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000503:physiopathology; D007435:Intrauterine Devices, Copper; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D019814:Myristic Acid; D009227:Myristic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D019301:Oleic Acid; D009829:Oleic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D019308:Palmitic Acid; D010169:Palmitic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D009227:Myristic Acids; D009829:Oleic Acids; D010169:Palmitic Acids; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D019814:Myristic Acid; D019301:Oleic Acid; D019308:Palmitic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid