PIP: Bacterial contamination of copper IUDs was studied in 52 IUDs removed under sterile conditions, from 4 groups of patients: IUD change after 2-3 years of use (18 patients); 1st trimester intrauterine pregnancy with IUD in situ (13 patients); pelvic inflammation (16 patients); and cervical displacement of the IUD (5 patients). IUDs involved were the copper-T (29 cases), ML Cu 250 (21 cases), and the copper-7 (2 cases). Enterococci and E. coli were the most common organisms in all groups; Staphylococcus epidermidis was particularly frequent in patients with pelvic inflammation. Contamination was observed in all 5 displaced IUDs, in half the devices from pregnant uteri, and in about one-third of the remaining cases. The authors suggest that microbiological testing of IUDs removed during pregnancy may be useful in deciding the fate of the affected pregnancy.