Effect of uterine fluid from mice with IUDs,and various chemical compounds,on mouse eggs in culture

Neat uterine fluid from the IUD horn of pro-oestrous mice is slightly more toxic than control horn fluid to mouse morulae and 2-cell eggs in culture. The toxic action is completely eliminated when IUD-horn fluid is diluted with culture medium. The effects of various chemical compounds that may be elevated in the IUD horn were also tested in the egg culture system. Only a few of the compounds were found to be toxic. The significance of these results in relation to the contraceptive effect of the device is discussed.