CDC Releases New Recommendations For IUD Pain Management

The CDC put out new recommendations regarding pain management for IUD birth control. The CDC is recommending that doctors talk to their patients about potential pain when getting an IUD and what options they have to manage that pain.

This could include injecting lidocaine to use as an anesthetic or a topical gel or cream to help with the pain. Doctors say it may not take away the pain completely, but it can help to reduce it.

Dr. Morgan Aldridge, with Tulsa OBGYN Associates, said every patient responds to pain and getting an IUD differently. She said there's also a big push right now to take women's health more seriously. Dr. Aldridge said even something as simple as just giving a patient different options for pain management during an IUD procedure can be beneficial.

"I’m glad you’re pushing for pain control to promote that option because on the opposite side, so many women came to me looking for options, and I would present the IUD, and they would immediately say, 'oh no, I don’t want to do that. I just heard the most horrendous stories,'" Dr. Aldridge said.

Dr. Aldridge said when a patient comes in for an IUD, she asks them about how they feel about their overall pain tolerance and how they feel about the procedure. She wants to make sure her patients know about the different options available to help reduce pain or anxiety when going in for an IUD procedure.

"I walk through, and then we kind of together assess what they feel their level of pain will be and also understanding the option that during the procedure we could stop. We could take a time out, and we can reassess things and provide additional pain relief if needed," Dr. Aldridge said.

Dr. Aldridge said there are options to help with IUD pain management at most clinics but said it's important to make sure patients ask their doctor what those options are to ensure the procedure is as comfortable as possible.