STUDY OBJECTIVE
To examine how the intrauterine device (IUD) insertion experience affects long-term IUD acceptability among adolescents.
DESIGN
Text-to-web survey study.
SETTING
Boston Children's Hospital and Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts.
PARTICIPANTS
Nulliparous adolescents aged 13 to 21 years who received an IUD or etonogestrel implant between January 2012 and May 2018.
RESULTS
We received survey responses from 95 adolescents (n=46 IUD, n=49 implant, response rate = 9%). Mean current age (20.8 years) and time since device insertion (2.4 years) were similar between groups. Although the majority of both groups (64%) experienced moderate-to-severe pre-procedural anxiety, IUD users expected more insertional pain compared to implant users (55.6 vs 39.6, p=0.01). Compared to implant users, more IUD users experienced moderate-to-severe insertional pain (80% vs 18%, p<0.0001), recalled that the procedure hurt more than expected (52% vs 4%, p<0.0001), and endorsed lower pain management satisfaction (72.4 vs 85.6, p=0.04). Most respondents would recommend their method to a friend (75%) or consider getting the same device in the future (63%). When explicitly asked, more IUD users reported that dislike of the insertion procedure might or would probably prevent them from getting the same device in the future (41% vs 14%, p=0.005).
CONCLUSIONS
Compared to implant users, IUD users reported more negative insertion experiences, though pre-procedural anxiety was prevalent in both groups. Dislike of the insertion experience may negatively impact adolescents' willingness to continue using an IUD in the future. Findings should encourage multimodal interventions to holistically improve the IUD insertion experience.