In the US, 12% of women who use contraception use intrauterine devices (IUDs); IUDs are becoming more popular because of their advantages over oral contraceptives:
In the US, 5 IUDs are currently available. There are 4 types of levonorgestrel-releasing IUDs:
The efficacy of the 52-mg IUD for 8 years of use is being evaluated.
The 5th IUD is a copper-bearing T380A IUD. It is effective for 10years; it has a cumulative 12-year pregnancy rate of < 2% (see table Comparison of Intrauterine Devices).
Comparison of Intrauterine Devices
Feature |
Levonorgestrel |
Copper-T380A |
|
3-year IUD |
5-year IUDs |
||
|
Efficacy (cumulative pregnancy rate with typical use) |
0.9% |
0.7–1.5% |
< 2% at 12 years |
|
Reversibility |
Rapid |
Rapid |
Rapid |
|
Maximum duration |
3 years |
5 years (possibly more) |
10 years |
|
Changes in bleeding |
Irregular bleeding Amenorrhea at 1 year: 6% |
Irregular bleeding Amenorrhea at 1 year: 20% |
No change in cyclical nature of cycles |
|
Mean monthly blood loss |
—
|
5 mL |
50‒80 mL |
|
Additional benefits |
— |
May be used to treat heavy menstrual bleeding, chronic pelvic pain, or endometriosis |
May be used as emergency contraception Nonhormonal |
|
Adverse effects |
Minimal: Headache, spotting, breast tenderness, nausea (which usually resolves within 6 months) |
Same as for the 3-year IUD |
More severe menstrual cramps (usually relieved by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs]) and heavier flow |
|
Primary mechanism of action |
Thickens cervical mucus and prevents fertilization |
Same as for the 3-year IUD |
Use of copper ions to produce a sterile inflammatory response that is toxic to sperm, thus preventing fertilization |
Insertion of the IUD
Clinicians do not need to do a Papanicolaou (Pap) test before they insert an IUD unless they suspect cervical lesions are present. Then, a Pap test or cervical biopsy should be done. Also, clinicians do not need to wait for results of sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing (for gonorrhea and chlamydial infection) before they insert an IUD. However, STD testing should be done just before the IUD is inserted, and if results are positive, patients should be treated with appropriate antibiotics; the IUD is left in place. If purulent discharge is observed at the time of IUD insertion, the IUD is not inserted, STD testing is done, and empiric treatment with antibiotics is started before test results are available.
When IUDs are inserted, sterile technique is used as much as possible. Bimanual examination should be done to determine the position of the uterus, and a tenaculum should be placed on the anterior lip of the cervix to stabilize the uterus, straighten the uterine axis, and help ensure correct placement of the IUD. A uterine sound device or an endometrial aspirator (used for biopsy) is often used to measure the length of the uterine cavity before IUD insertion. The package insert for the IUD should be reviewed before insertion because the 5 types of IUDs are inserted differently.
Routine follow-up after IUD insertion is not necessary. Patients should be counseled to return for evaluation if they experience symptoms or complications (eg, pain, heavy bleeding, abnormal vaginal discharge, fever) or are dissatisfied with the method (1).
An IUD may be inserted at any time during the menstrual cycle if a woman has not had unprotected intercourse during the past month.
An IUD may be inserted immediately after an induced or a spontaneous abortion during the 1st or 2nd trimester and immediately after delivery of the placenta in a cesarean or vaginal delivery.
Insertion reference
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1. Curtis KM, Jatlaoui TC, Tepper NK, et al: U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use, 2016. MMWR Recomm Rep 65 (4):1–66, 2016. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.rr6504a1.
Contraindications
Most women can use an IUD. Contraindications include the following:
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Current pelvic infection, usually pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), mucopurulent cervicitis with a suspected STD, pelvic tuberculosis, septic abortion, or puerperal endometritis or sepsis within the past 3 months
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Anatomic abnormalities that distort the uterine cavity
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Gestational trophoblastic disease with persistently elevated serum beta–human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) levels (a relative contraindication because supporting data are lacking)
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Unexplained vaginal bleeding
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Known cervical cancer or endometrial cancer
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Pregnancy
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For levonorgestrel-releasing IUDs, breast cancer or allergy to levonorgestrel
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For copper-bearing T380 IUDs, Wilson disease or allergy to copper
Conditions that do not contraindicate IUDs include the following:
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Religious beliefs that prohibit abortion because IUDs are not abortifacients (however, a copper IUD used for emergency contraception may prevent implantation of the blastocyst)
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A history of PID, STDs, or ectopic pregnancy
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Contraindications to contraceptives that contain estrogen (eg, history of venous thromboembolism, smoking > 15 cigarettes/day in women > 35, migraine with aura, migraine of any type in women > 35)
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Breastfeeding
-
Adolescence
Adverse effects
Vaginal bleeding stops completely within 1 year in 6% of women using the 3-year IUD and in 20% of women using a 5-year IUD. A copper-bearing T380A IUD may cause heavier menstrual bleeding and more severe cramping, which can be relieved by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; eg, ibuprofen). Women should be told about these effects before the IUD is inserted because this information may help them decide which type of IUD to choose.
Potential benefits
If a woman has had unprotected intercourse within the past 7 days, a copper-bearing T380 IUD may be inserted as emergency contraception. The copper-bearing IUD may be left in place for long-term contraception if the woman desires. The resumption of menses plus a negative pregnancy test reliably excludes pregnancy; a pregnancy test should be done 2 to 3 weeks after insertion to be sure that an unintended pregnancy has not occurred before insertion.
IUDs do not increase and may decrease the risk of uterine cancer.
Complications
Average IUD expulsion rates are usually < 5% within the first year after insertion; however, expulsion rates are higher if the IUD is inserted immediately (< 10 minutes) after a delivery. After insertion, a clinician confirms correct placement at 6 weeks by looking for the strings attached to the IUD, which are typically trimmed to 3 cm from the external cervical os.
The uterus is perforated in about 1/1000 IUD insertions. Perforation occurs at the time of IUD insertion. Sometimes only the distal part of the IUD penetrates; then over the next few months, uterine contractions force the IUD into the peritoneal cavity. If the strings are not visible during pelvic examination, clinicians may do ≥ 1 of the following:
If the IUD is not seen, an abdominal x-ray is taken to exclude an intraperitoneal location. Intraperitoneal IUDs may cause intestinal adhesions. IUDs that have perforated the uterus are removed via laparoscopy.
If expulsion or perforation is suspected, a backup contraceptive method should be used.
Rarely, salpingitis (pelvic inflammatory disease [PID]) develops during the first month after insertion because bacteria are displaced into the uterine cavity during insertion; however, this risk is low and routine antibiotic prophylaxis is not indicated. If PID develops, antibiotics should be given. The IUD need not be removed unless the infection persists despite antibiotics. IUD strings do not provide access for bacteria. Except during the first month after insertion, IUDs do not increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease.
The incidence of ectopic pregnancy is much lower in IUD users than in women using no contraceptive method because IUDs effectively prevent pregnancy. However, if a women becomes pregnant while an IUD is in place, she should be told that risk of ectopic pregnancy is increased, and she should be evaluated promptly.
Key Points
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IUDs are highly effective, have minimal systemic effects, and involve only one contraceptive decision every 3, 5, or 10 years depending on the IUD chosen.
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Types include levonorgestrel-releasing IUDs (effective for 3 years or 5 years, depending on the type) and a copper-bearing IUD (effective for 10 years, with a 12-year pregnancy rate of < 2%).
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A Pap test is not required before IUD insertion unless clinicians suspect cervical lesions are present.
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Inform women that both types of IUDs can affect menstrual bleeding (amenorrhea within 1 year in 6% of women using the 3-year IUD and in 20% of those using a 5-year IUD and possibly heavier menstrual bleeding and more severe cramping in women using the copper-bearing T380 IUD).
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Counsel patients to return for evaluation after IUD placement if they have complications (eg, pain, heavy bleeding, abnormal vaginal discharge or fever).
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If the strings are not visible during the pelvic examination, attempt to sweep the strings out with a cytobrush or gently probe the uterine cavity using a uterine sound or biopsy instrument (unless pregnancy is suspected), and if needed, do ultrasonography or take an abdominal x-ray to check for an intraperitoneal location.
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Drug Name | Select Trade |
|---|---|
levonorgestrel |
MIRENA, PLAN B |
ibuprofen |
ADVIL, MOTRIN IB |
