insertion

In the Georgia abortion ban, the insertion of the medically unnecessary word spontaneous may be confusing physicians and delaying care that would otherwise be protected under the “life of the mother” exceptions that exist in every U.S. state.

But while insertion requires specialized tools and medical expertise to safely measure the uterus, stabilize the cervix, position and deploy the device, and trim the strings, removing the long-acting birth control is not nearly as technically complicated: In most cases, it simply involves grabbing the strings and giving them a pull.

The most important determinant of success seemed to be whether they could reach their strings, which has led some to suggest that providers ask IUD users about their preferences for string length at insertion.

Part of the answer is that we need more research into side effects and better access to pain management for IUD insertion.

A straightforward strategy to increase reproductive autonomy is to have doctors ask patients, upon insertion, if they’re interested in learning about the possibility of taking out their IUD themselves.