A commentary by a co-chair of the South Peace Division of Family Practice

The Nov. 23 story on insertion of IUDs (intra-uterine contraception devices) and the pain which potentially accompanies the procedure, was thought-provoking and timely. AccessBC is to be commended for raising this important topic.

As a rural family physician with nearly 30 years experience working in a remote community in the South Peace region of northeastern B.C., what resonated with me was how impossible it is to predict who will experience significant pain and who won’t, and therefore the need to offer effective pain prevention to anyone interested in this method of contraception.

This is a recognized, national problem, which begs a question: Is there not a simple fix?

IUDs are an exceptionally effective form of contraception, but patient uptake depends in part on comfort; fear of painful insertion is a disincentive.

Traditional options typically involve nothing, an oral medication (NSAID) before the procedure, or a........

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