title: Comparative cost-effectiveness of three intrauterine devices: a multi-center randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relative cost-effectiveness of three intrauterine devices (IUDs), MLCu375, TCu380A, and YuangongCu365.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cost-effectiveness of three IUDs, namely MLCu375, TCu380A, and YuangongCu365, was analyzed from the provider's perspective by means of a randomized trial with one-year follow-up carried out in six centers in China.
  
  
  RESULTS
  YuangongCu 365 had the lowest termination and pregnancy rates (4.17% and 0.54%, respectively), followed by TCu380A (8.59% and 1.11%, respectively) and MLCu375 (14.17% and 2.04%, respectively). YuangongCu365 was more effective yet more costly than the MLCu375. There was a favorably dominating trend of cost-effectiveness for TCu380A comparing with MLCu375 when taking continuation rate as the effectiveness indicator, but there was no difference in cost-effectiveness between the two IUDs when using the pregnancy avoidance rate as the effectiveness measure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TCu380A is slightly more cost-effective than the MLCu375. YuangongCu365 is the most effective of the three devices and be used provided it is economically affordable. The comparative long-term safety and cost-effectiveness of these devices need to be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Centre, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Youping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ba
authors.forename: Suqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yulin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate