Paramedic insertion of intrauterine device in a Malaysian family planning clinic
Kwa Siew Kim; Arshat, H.; Abdul Jalil, A.H.; Ang Eng Suan; Suhaimi, A.
Malaysian Journal of Reproductive Health a Publication of the Reproductive Research Centre of the National Population and Family Development Board Malaysia 5(1): 11-16
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0127-3213 PMID: 12269176 Document Number: 304267
A study was done by the Malaysian family planning clinic to check the feasibility in using paramedical personnel to insert IUDs. There were 250 insertions by trained senior nurses and 369 insertions by doctors. In the follow-up, no differences were found in terminations due to IUD complications, and also none in terminations for pregnancy, bleeding, pain, expulsion and pelvic infections. Studies in Turkey, Philippines, Korea, Iran, and Thailand showed similar results in that paramedical personnel are just as effective as doctors in the insertion of IUDs. The follow-up was done in this study by nurses at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months and from then, on a yearly basis. There was a large unexplained loss of follow-up in the nurses group, 12.7% and only 6% in the doctors. There was a 8.9% rate for removal for a planned pregnancy, and both groups had a high continuation rate: 63.3% for nurses and 70.5% for doctors. The conclusion of the study indicates that trained paramedical people can perform insertion of IUD's as effectively as doctors when there are no medical or gynecological problems in the patients. It is also noted that in some areas women prefer to have nurses do the insertion because of their conservative nature.