White plastic intrauterine device (IUD) and inserter in a sealed paper and plastic package. The device is held in place with paper tabs on a gray, black, and white printed paper card. Instructions are included in the package.
The Lippes Loop, a double-S, trapazoidal-shaped intrauterine device, was developed by OB-GYN Jack Lippes (1924 - 2022), a 1947 graduate of the University of Buffalo Medical School. The IUD was designed to closely fit the inside of the uterus and thereby reduce unwanted expulsion of the device. The IUD was made in several sizes: Loop Size D (30 mm with white thread) was the preferred first choice for multiparous women, that is, women who have given birth one or more times. If Loop Size D caused bleeding or pain, the IUD should be replaced by Loop Size C. Lippes Loop was first marketed in 1962 and became one of the most prescribed IUDs in the United States. In 1985, Ortho Pharmaceuticals stopped marketing Lippes Loop due to reduced profitability and increased FDA regulation.
"Ortho stops marketing Lippes Loop; cites economic factors". Contraceptive technology update. 1985 Nov;6(11):149-52.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.