Knowledge and attitudes of Latin American obstetricians and gynecologists regarding intrauterine contraceptives

Figures & data

Table 1 Answers provided by obstetricians and gynecologists regarding failure rate of different contraceptive methods

	OBGYN characteristics
	Age (%)		Sex (%)		Working (%)
	≤49 years	≥50 years	Female	Male	Public sector	Private/public sector
What proportion of women use shorter acting methods (COC, patch, vaginal ring) up to 1 year? (n=168):
50%–55%	79.0	82.1	86.8	75.6	78.8	82.0
80%–85%	21.0	17.9	13.2	24.4	21.2	18.0
Failure rate of COC, patch, and vaginal ring given typical use (n=175):
1%–2%	32.5	34.4	38.0	30.0	32.7	34.5
4%	16.2	24.1	11.1	27.1	17.3	21.0
8%	31.1	29.3	28.6	31.4	32.7	28.4
10%	20.3	12.1	22.2	11.4	17.3	16.0
Failure rate per 100 women/year of LARC methods up to 1 year (n=194):
0.3	95.6	80.8	88.9	88.8	83.3	90.3
5.0	0.0	5.8	0.0	5.7	2.8	3.2
13.0	4.4	9.6	11.1	3.8	11.1	4.8
22.0	0.0	3.8	0.0	3.8	2.8	1.7

Abbreviations: COC, combined oral contraceptive; LARC, long-acting reversible contraceptive.

Table 2 Answers provided by obstetricians and gynecologists regarding some aspects of use of intrauterine contraceptives

	Age (%)		Sex (%)		Working (%)
	≤49 years	≥50 years	Female	Male	Public sector	Private/public sector
Do you offer IUC regularly to your patients? (n=202):
Never	7.1	8.9	10.6	5.5	10.5	6.2
Not to adolescents	8.9	8.9	10.6	7.3	5.3	10.9
Not to nulligravidas	80.3	82.2	74.5	87.2	81.6	81.3
Ever	3.6	0.0	4.3	0.0	2.6	1.6
Main barriers between OBGYN and patients to IUC use (n=205):
NSAIDs are mandatory before insertion for pain control	10.1	9.5	7.3	11.4	10.9	8.9
Could be inserted at any time within the menstrual cycle	2.9	4.8	3.6	3.8	1.8	5.1
TVUS is mandatory before insertion	8.7	1.6	7.3	3.8	9.1	2.5
Pain is more intense in nulligravidas	5.8	1.6	5.5	2.5	0.0	6.3
None of the preceding answers	72.5	82.5	76.4	78.5	78.2	77.2
LNG-IUS must be inserted in nulligravidas (n=203):
Never	0.0	1.7	0.0	1.4	0.0	1.3
Only if other contraceptive is not available	7.0	5.0	5.0	6.8	3.6	7.6
Ever	92.9	90.0	93.4	90.5	96.3	88.6
Could be inserted, but the woman must be advised that effectiveness is low	0.0	3.3	1.7	1.4	0.0	1.3
Ovarian cysts in LNG-IUS users must be treated with (n=205):
COC	2.7	5.0	3.3	4.0	3.3	4.1
Surgery if it does not disappear in 2 months	2.7	0.0	0.0	2.7	1.6	1.4
Removal of LNG-IUS	1.4	0.0	1.7	0.0	0.0	1.4
Spontaneously disappeared	93.2	95.0	95.0	93.3	95.1	93.2

Abbreviations: COC, combined oral contraceptive; OBGYN, obstetricians and gynecologists; IUC, intrauterine contraceptive; NSAIDs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; TVUS, transvaginal ultrasound; LNG-IUS, levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system.