It’s always good to be prepared, and no one knows this better than moms—which is why our purses are always as full as Mary Poppins’ carpet bags only Just in case anyone needs hand sanitizer, snacks, or hair ties. But for those of us who don’t want to be moms (or don’t want to be moms again) and opt for long-acting, reversible birth control like the intrauterine device (IUD), we’re not prepared for the pain that often accompanies the procedure, because of the fact that Proved that doctors underestimated the extent of pain. a lot of.
But now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is finally officially urging health care providers to do better for their patients. It’s time.
An intrauterine device (including Paragard, Mirena, Kyleena, Liletta, Skyla) is a flexible, T-shaped device that is inserted through the vagina into the uterus to prevent pregnancy and uses hormones or copper to repel sperm. This method of birth control has many benefits: IUDs last for years but are not permanent, so they can be removed quickly if you change your mind and want to start a family. This is a great option for those who don’t have immediate plans to get pregnant but want to have options later.
With a 99% effectiveness rate, it’s no wonder that since Roe v. Wade was reversed in 2022, Planned Parenthood has reported a 400% increase in IUD appointments.
But casually saying something is “inserted into the vagina through the uterus” kind of misses the idea. A foreign object has been pushed into the uterus through the vagina and cervix. Perhaps because the procedure has become more common in recent years, especially among younger people (those who have given birth often report less pain than those who haven’t), we’ve been hearing more and more about In messaging about pain, doctors often downplay it and say patients will just have to tolerate over-the-counter medications. Some have even filmed their proceedings and shared the videos on TikTok and other social media platforms, sparking sympathetic conversations and encouraging others to share their experiences.
The new guidance to better manage patient pain supersedes previous advice from 2016 and recommends that doctors “should provide counseling to all patients about potential pain during placement and the risks, benefits and alternatives of different pain management options,” calling for “individual -A “center-centered” pain management plan based on patient preferences. While no medications are recommended, the CDC recommends misoprostol (which softens and dilates the cervix) and lidocaine (an anesthetic) as potentially good options.
Dr. Emily Porter shared these updated messages on X (formerly Twitter), but warned providers not to rely on misoprostol as an option. “In conservative states where abortion is banned, pharmacists refuse to fill it,” she noted. In fact, the drug, which can also be used for abortion procedures, is rejected in some places despite being prescribed.
Still, some are glad the issue is getting long-awaited recognition at the federal level, while others can’t understand why the problem needs to be overcome in the first place.
“I’ve had four major surgeries and six or so other major medical procedures, and nothing is more painful than having an IUD inserted,” @devo_cook tweeted. “I literally passed out from the pain. I can’t believe it took the doctors so long to start taking it seriously.
