A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF 2 TECHNIQUES USED IN IMMEDIATE POSTPLACENTAL INSERTION (IPPI) OF THE COPPER T-380A IUD IN SHANGHAI, PEOPLES-REPUBLIC-OF-CHINA

Chinese women in Shanghai who delivered vaginally and who chose to use an IUD for contraception received a Copper T-380A IUD inserted vagina lly within 10 minutes after delivery of the placenta (i.e., immediate postplacental insertion, IPPI). Among them, 97.7% were primipara. The women were randomly divided into two groups: IUD inserted by hand and IUD via ring forceps. The follow-up rate of six months was 95.2%. Usin g Tietze's life table method and log rank test, the expulsion and othe r discontinuation rates were compared at three and six months postinse rtion between these two different insertion techniques. Expulsions wer e the main reason for discontinuation. The six-month gross cumulative expulsion rates were 13.3 and 12.7 per 100 women in the hand-insertion group and ring forceps-insertion group, respectively. Discontinuation rates for medical removals (bleeding/pain) were 2.1 and 1.0 in these two groups, respectively Neither of the differences was statistically significant (p > 0.05). No uterine perforation, infection or pregnancy occurred. The results suggest that these two different insertion tech niques do not significantly affect discontinuation rates in vaginal IP PI using the TCu 380A, and the TCu 380A appears to be suitable for pos tpartum insertion in Chinese women. Other relevant issues, such as bre astfeeding and IUD placement in uterine cavity, are also analyzed and discussed in this report.