A missed opportunity for care: two-visit IUD insertion protocols inhibit placement

Abstract Background The intrauterine device (IUD) is a safe, long-acting, highly effective method of birth control. Two-visit protocols for IUD insertion may represent a barrier to IUD uptake. Study Design This study is a retrospective database review. We identified Medicaid-insured women who requested IUDs in our urban university-based clinic, which employed a two-visit protocol for IUD insertion. The number of women who returned for IUD insertion was determined. To compare women who underwent insertion to those who did not, bivariate and multivariable analyses were used. Results Of the 708 women who requested IUDs at the initial visit, only 385 had an IUD inserted (54.4%). Single women were less likely to return for IUD placement compared to women who had ever been married (52.4% vs. 70.3%; p