IUD (Nova-T) insertion following induced abortion

In a prospective study, 86 women who had an IUD (Nova-T) inserted immediately after induced abortion were compared to 95 abortion patients who started another contraception (control I). Additionally, the rate of complications following IUD insertion in a Family Planning Clinic (control II) were studied in 83 non-pregnant women. The overall infection rate for post-abortion patients was 4.4% (5.8% in the study group, 3.2% in control I). No infections were observed in control group II. Confidence limits (95%) for the three groups were overlapping. Among the women in the study group, bleeding and pain were not more frequent, but if one of these complications occurred, it tended to be more serious and the duration was longer. The number of days before resumption of work after abortion was 3-4 days in both abortion groups. After three months, the continuation rate was 83% (71 of 86) in the study group, 76% (72 of 95) in control I and 93% (77 of 83) in control II. Sixty-nine of the 181 women admitted for legal abortion had been admitted for the same reason previously. In this study, the recurrence rate after 12 months was 0% in the study group and 4.2% (4 of 95) in control group I. The insertion of an IUD at the time of abortion seems to be an effective and acceptable solution to the problem of recurrent abortion.