The experience with Dalkon shield in UCLA family planning clinic
Wang, A.C.
Nihon Funin Gakkai Zasshi 19: 248-253
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-0629 PMID: 12158546 Document Number: 406118
The UCLA family planning clinic studied a series of 1263 IUD insertions to evaluate effectiveness and continuation rates. There were 2 groups of patients: Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) patients and UCLA students and their spouses. Some differences were found between the 2 groups but they were not considered statistically significant. 82% of IUDs inserted in HEW patients were for multiparous woman while 95% of the UCLA patients were nulliparous. Careful pelvic examinations were done and paracervical block was used for each insertion. Early inserts were with the Lippes loop, later ones with the Dalkon shield. Pain after insertion was treated with sedatives. Patients were instructed to return at 2 months, 10 months, and yearly thereafter. The IUDs were not found to be as effective as oral contraceptives. With the small Dalkon shield there were 4 accidental pregnancies per 100 woman years of use. The clinic switched to the standard size shield for nulliparous women and had fewer pregnancies. The multiparous group had 1.9 pregnancies per 100 woman years, the UCLA group had 3.2 pregnancies, the HEW group 1.9. The medical removal rate was 9.8 in the HEW group, 6.8 in the UCLA group. Lippes loop wearers had a lower pregnancy rate (.7), higher expulsion rate (2.5) and higher medical removal rate (10.2). The Dalkon shield had a higher continuation rate and a lower expulsion rate.