Most teens, young women satisfied with IUD insertion

(HealthDay)—Most adolescent and young adult women report high satisfaction with intrauterine device (IUD) insertion, according to a study published online May 7 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Aletha Y. Akers, M.D., M.P.H., from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues conducted a secondary analysis of data from a sham-controlled randomized trial involving women having a levonorgestrel 13.5-mg IUD inserted at three family planning clinics. Ninety-five participants (aged 14 to 22 years) were randomized to a 1 percent lidocaine paracervical or sham block; 93 were included in the analysis.

The researchers found that 76.8 percent of the participants reported high overall satisfaction with the procedure and that 67.4 percent reported that they would recommend an IUD to a friend. Most participants (83.2 percent) felt that the IUD was worth the discomfort. Lower odds of reporting high overall satisfaction were seen for adolescents versus young adults (odds ratio, 0.07) and those who had never had a gynecologic examination versus those who had (odds ratio, 0.26); as pain scores increased, the odds decreased (odds ratio, 0.96). There was a negative correlation for higher pain scores with the odds of recommending an IUD to a friend and perceiving the IUD worth the effort.

"Adolescent and young adult women report high levels of satisfaction after the IUD insertion procedure," the authors write. "Young age, lack of experience with gynecologic examinations, and high pain were inversely related to satisfaction."

The study was funded in part by Bayer Healthcare; the IUDs were provided by Bayer.

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