Barriers to Immediate Post-placental Intrauterine Devices among Attending Level Educators

Objective: To determine whether barriers to immediate post-placental intrauterine device (PPIUD) placement exist at the provider level. Study Design: Obstetrics providers at seven academic teaching hospitals in Massachusetts were asked to complete an electronic survey regarding their knowledge, experience, and opinions about immediate PPIUDs. Results: Eighty-two providers, including obstetricians, family medicine physicians, and midwives, completed the survey. Thirty-five (42.7%) reported experience placing an immediate PPIUD with the majority of them having placed three to five PPIUDs. Of participants who had never placed a PPIUD, the reason cited most frequently was inadequate training. Fewer than one-half (43.4%) correctly identified the PPIUD expulsion rate, whereas 75.9% knew the correct expulsion rate for interval IUD placement. The majority of providers responded that PPIUDs are acceptable in certain clinical scenarios. Conclusions: Overall, knowledge and experience with PPIUD placement is relatively low. As increasing numbers of states amend Medicaid policy to include reimbursement for immediate postpartum IUDs, additional education and training opportunities are needed.