The Experiences of Women Who Have Used Intrauterine Devices for a Long Time.
Zeynep Dilşah Karaçam Yılmaz, Ceyda Şapoğlu, Sena Nur Bülbül and 1 others
PMID 40262745WHAT IT FOUND
Women who kept intrauterine devices for at least 11 years delayed removal because of fear of pain and bad hospital memories.
Some also stayed because they trusted it as easy, long-term contraception.
Key findings
01Fear and worries about IUD removal were described as reasons women delayed seeking care for removal.
02Some women kept using an IUD after its expiry because they trusted its long-term protection and found it easier and more comfortable than pills or condoms.
03Some women described emotional attachment to the IUD, while others ignored or neglected follow-up until problems or life events brought them to care.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included 15 women from one hospital in Istanbul Province, so the experiences may not represent women in other settings. The findings are self-reported and may have been shaped by social expectations or personal bias. Qualitative themes describe women's experiences and reasons for delayed removal; they do not measure complications or show that counselling or follow-up cards prevent them. The participant table repeats labels and includes a duration of 1 year, despite the paper reporting 15 women and an inclusion criterion of at least 11 years.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude from this small qualitative study that prolonged IUD use is safe or that better counselling will prevent complications. The women described reasons for delayed removal, but the study did not measure complications or test an intervention.