Women's experiences with immediate postpartum intrauterine device insertion: a mixed-methods study

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Family Planning
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Immediate postpartum intrauterine device (IUD) insertion (IPPI) is a convenient method for effective contraception.
• Understanding women's pain and experiences during IPPI is crucial for patient counseling and satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe pain and experiences associated with immediate postpartum IUD insertion using a ring forceps technique.
• To explore women's decisional influences, procedural experiences, and regret after IPPI.

Main Methods:

• Observational mixed-methods study involving women undergoing IPPI with or without epidural analgesia.
• Pain assessment using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Verbal Rating Scale (VRS).
• Semistructured interviews to explore women's experiences and satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Most women reported mild pain (VRS) during IPPI, regardless of epidural use.
• Convenience was the primary motivation for choosing IPPI.
• High satisfaction reported, with no decisional regret, even among those with higher pain scores.

Conclusions:

• Women generally experience less pain than anticipated during immediate postpartum IUD insertion.
• The Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) is more informative than VAS for assessing pain during IPPI.
• Convenience drives IPPI uptake, and patient counseling should address expectations regarding pain and procedure.