Effects of Copper Versus Levonorgestrel Intrauterine Devices on Mucosal Microbiota and Barrier Function Among Young African Women

Effects of Copper Versus Levonorgestrel Intrauterine Devices on Mucosal Microbiota and Barrier Function: a Randomized Trial Among Young African Women

The goal of this clinical trial is to definitively determine whether copper intrauterine device (IUD) or hormonal intrauterine system (IUS) results in greater vaginal microbial diversity after 1 year in women (n= approximately 120) aged 18-40 years, who desire to use a copper IUD or hormonal IUS as contraception, are HIV-negative and could benefit from STI prevention.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Whether women assigned to copper IUD vs hormonal IUS have differences in vaginal microbial diversity after 1 year of use
2. Whether women randomized to Copper IUD have reduced genital mucosal barrier integrity as indicated by proteomic signatures
3. Whether women randomized to Copper IUD have greater incidence of high-risk HPV or curable STIs (Ct, Ng, Tv)

Participants will be assigned to have either the copper IUD or the hormonal IUS inserted as contraception. After that, they will have blood and vaginal fluids collected every 3 months for one year to look at the bacteria in their vagina, test for sexually transmitted infections, and examine markers of vaginal health.

After enrolment, each participant will be followed for 12 months, and at the end of the trial, the participant can continue to use the IUD/IUS or the study clinician can remove it.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Vaginal Microbial Diversity
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Copper T Intrauterine device (Cu-IUD); Drug: Levonorgesterel Intrauterine system (LNG IUS)

Detailed Description

Through this protocol, the investigators will recruit and follow a novel cohort of young women in the Thika, Kenya area. Enrolled women (approximately 120 aged 18-40 years who may benefit from STI prevention) will be randomized to use either Cu-IUD or LNG IUS and followed for 1 year. Through periodic genital sampling and metagenomic sequencing of vaginal wall swabs, the study will definitively determine whether Cu-IUD use (relative to levonorgestrel-containing hormonal IUD use) results in greater vaginal microbial diversity after 1 year. In addition, the study will conduct periodic testing for human papilloma virus (HPV), Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct), Neisseria gonorrhea (Ng), and Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv) to determine whether Cu-IUD users experience greater incidence of high-risk HPV or curable STIs. Finally, the study will conduct proteomic analyses to determine whether Cu-IUD users experience reduced integrity in genital mucosal barriers.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 120
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Laura Stueckle, MPH; Phone Number: 1-206-884-1254; Email: laura.stueckle@seattlechildrens.org
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Study PI, Dr. Jaspan, MD, PhD; Email: heather.jaspan@seattlechildrens.org

Study Locations

• Kenya
  • Thika, Kenya
    • Partners in Health and Research Development
    • Contact: Prof. Nelly R. Mugo; Phone Number: +254723914057; Email: rwamba@uw.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Willing and able to provide written informed consent for screening and trial participation
• Desire and willingness to use either IUD or IUS for contraception for at least one year
• Clear understanding of study randomization and commitment to use the assigned IUD
• Between 18 and 40 years of age (inclusive)
• Willing and able to actively participate in the study for 12 months
• Willing to be tested for HIV
• Sexually active
• HIV-negative
• Would benefit from STI prevention

Exclusion Criteria:

• Living with HIV or HIV screening results that are not definitively negative
• Currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant within the next 12 months
• Documented or known history of infertility or sterilization
• Prior history of ectopic pregnancy
• Use of contraceptive implant, IUD or injectable progestin in the past 3 months
• Use of oral contraceptives in the past 30 days
• Planning to use alternative contraception except condoms for the trial duration
• 0-6 weeks postpartum
• Has had a hysterectomy or sterilization
• History of challenges using and IUD/IUS, including frequent expulsion

• Medical contraindications (Category 3 or 4 criteria as detailed in the WHO MEC1 to copper IUDs or LNG-IUS, including:

  • Endometrial, ovarian, or cervical cancer
  • Unexplained vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods or bleeding after intercourse
  • History of pelvic tuberculosis
  • Anatomical abnormality of the uterus incompatible with IUD insertion
  • A recent septic abortion
  • Untreated mucopurulent cervicitis on exam, untreated pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or untreated known gonorrhoea or chlamydia
• Has any condition (social or medical), which in the opinion of the investigator, would make study participation unsafe or complicate data interpretation

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Copper T-380 intrauterine device (Cu-IUD); The Cu-IUD will be Model TCu 380A used in public sector services in Kiambu County. Each T-shaped plastic frame has 176 mg of copper wire coiled around its vertical arm and a copper collar of 68 mg of copper on each of its transverse arms for a total copper surface area on the device of 380 mm2. The product will be sterile and will be inserted as described in the package insert.	Device: Copper T Intrauterine device (Cu-IUD); Product will be used as labeled for approximately 12 months.; Other Names: Model TCu 380A, manufactured by the SMB Corporation of India or by Bayer Pharmaceuticals
Active Comparator: Levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG IUS); The LNG-IUD consists of a T-shaped polyethylene frame with a steroid reservoir containing 52 mg levonorgestrel packaged with a sterile inserter. The product will be sterile and will be inserted as described in the package insert	Drug: Levonorgesterel Intrauterine system (LNG IUS); Product will be used as labeled for approximately 12 months.; Other Names: Mirena®, manufactured by Bayer Healthcare; Avibela, manufactured by DKT WomenGloba

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Cross-sectional comparisons of vaginal microbial Shannon alpha diversity.	Cross-sectional differences at month-12 in Shannon diversity will be compared using Mann-Whitney U.	From enrollment to the end of participation at 12 months
Cross-sectional comparisons of Bray-Curtis distances (Beta diversity)	Cross-sectional differences at 12 months of Bray-Curtis distances (ß diversity) will be assessed using PERMANOVAs.	From enrollment to the end of participation at 12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Comparisons of host epithelial integrity factors via metaproteomics	Differential abundance of host proteins will be evaluated using the limma package in R, for each arm, adjusting for potential confounders, and functional enrichment analysis conducted using DAVID. Evaluation of proteomic changes using the MEFISTO R package will be used. The mixOmics R package will be used to identify the minimum protein signature most associated with different contraceptives will be evaluated using sparse PLSDA and Data Integration Analysis and Biomarker discovery using Latent cOmponents (DIABLO). Microbial functional changes will be investigated by aggregation of proteins with the same Gene Ontology.	From enrollment to the end of participation at 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Seattle Children's Hospital
• Collaborators: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Heather Jaspan, MD, PhD, Seattle Children's Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2029
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2030

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 29, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 2, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 4, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 4, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 2, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Women; contraception; STI; IUD; STI prevention; Long-acting reversible contraception; IUS; intrauterine devices; Copper intrauterine device
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Genital Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Disease Attributes; Infections; Communicable Diseases; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Polycyclic Compounds; Steroids; Fused-Ring Compounds; Norpregnenes; Norpregnanes; Norsteroids; Norgestrel; Levonorgestrel
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00005850; R01HD118913 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No