Patients' Responses to IUD Insertion

The immediate and early responses to insertion of a Lippes loop A or B, Dalkon shield, or Cu‐7‐200 were evaluated for 93 nulliparous patients. In isolated cases, significant, transient changes occurred in blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rates following the IUD insertion. The mean changes in these variables from before the IUD insertion to after the IUD insertion were too small to be of clinical significance. Vasovagal reactions, which usually became manifest at least ten minutes after the insertion, occurred in 7.5% of the patients. Among patients who were followed up, 95 % experienced cramps attributable to the IUD. Cramps and bleeding occurred more frequently with the Lippes loops A or B and Dalkon shield during or immediately after insertion. With the Cu‐7‐200, cramps and bleeding occurred more frequently one hour or more after insertion. Neither the duration and amount of bleeding nor the severity of cramps was significantly different for the three types of IUDs.