Obstetrics & Gynecology Email Alerts
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Obstetrics & Gynecology 2006;108:1417-1422
© 2006 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Stanwood, N. L.
Right arrow Articles by Bradley, K. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Stanwood, N. L.
Right arrow Articles by Bradley, K. A.
Related Collections
Right arrow Contraception
Right arrow General gynecology

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Young Pregnant Women’s Knowledge of Modern Intrauterine Devices

Nancy L. Stanwood, MD, MPH and Karen A. Bradley, MD

From the University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York.

OBJECTIVE: Modern intrauterine devices (IUDs) are safe, effective, and reversible, but only 2.1% of U.S. women use IUDs. We aimed to estimate young pregnant women’s knowledge of IUDs.

METHODS: We surveyed 190 women, aged 14–25 years, presenting for prenatal or abortion care about their contraceptive history, plans, and knowledge. We asked if they had heard of IUDs and queried them on IUD characteristics.

RESULTS: The women were, on average, 20 years old, 27% had education past high school, and 47% had delivered a child. Half were in prenatal care, and 91% had not planned their current pregnancy. Fifty-two percent wished to wait 4 or more years before their next pregnancy, and 27% did not want to be pregnant ever again. Safety and efficacy were the most important factors in choosing a contraceptive method. Fifty percent had heard of IUDs, 71% did not know about IUDs’ safety, and 58% did not know about IUDs’ efficacy. Respondents who knew of IUDs were older (21 versus 19 years, P<.001) and more likely to be parous (55% versus 39%, P=.04).

CONCLUSION: Young women choosing contraception after a pregnancy would benefit from counseling about the relative safety and effectiveness of IUDs, allowing them to make fully informed contraceptive decisions.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 JWatch Women's HealthHome page
Are Young, Pregnant Women in the U.S. Savvy About IUDs?
Journal Watch Women's Health, January 25, 2007; 2007(125): 3 - 3.
[Full Text]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2006 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.