Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ideal time of Intrauterine copper device (IUCD) insertion either to space or limit births in Indian women should be known to check fertility effectively and safely. We therefore aimed to compare various IUCD related clinical factors to assess its acceptability, safety and efficacy in immediate postpartum vaginal insertion, intra-caesarean insertion, delayed postpartum insertion and interval insertion at a tertiary-care centre in India. METHODS: It was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from July 2013 to July 2014. Data was reviewed about maternal age, socioeconomic status, education, occupation and parity of a total of 1631 eligible mothers and was compared between postpartum group and interval group. Data about spontaneous expulsion rate of IUCD, proportion of patients not able to feel thread, reasons for removal and failure rate of IUCD up to a follow-up period of 6 months was also collected in these women and compared among immediate vaginal insertion, intra-caesarean insertion, delayed postpartum insertion and interval insertion. RESULTS: Majority of women were between 20 and 35 years of age group, literate, multiparous, unemployed and belonged to middle/lower socio-economic strata in both postpartum and interval groups. Spontaneous expulsion rates were 1.84, 0.84, 2.83 and 1.63%; proportions of patients not able to feel thread were 3.07, 8.73, 4.45 and 1.63%; and removal rates were 7.99, 6.48, 7.69 and 3.47% in immediate vaginal, intra-caesarean, delayed postpartum and interval insertion groups, respectively. Failure was seen in only one case of delayed postpartum insertion. CONCLUSION: IUCD was more acceptable among young, literate and multiparous women as a contraceptive method. Immediate postpartum period was the safest and most efficacious time for IUCD insertion with least expulsion rate, maximum continuation rate and no failure and, therefore, should be encouraged by adequate counseling of mothers.