Summary of experiences of women who discontinued intrauterine device use at 1 year
| Standard IUD users | Mini IUD users | ||||||
| Issues reported | Atts | Investigations | Reason for discontinuation | Issues reported | Atts | Investigations | Reason for discontinuation |
| HMB, prolonged periods | 1 | PT, CT/GC, TVS | Prolonged periods, IMB | – | 0 | – | Acne |
| – | 1 | – | HMB, longer periods | HMB, pain | 3 | PT, urinalysis, CT/GC | HMB, pain |
| Dyspareunia, LAP, discharge | 1 | Microscopy, CT/GC | Pain | – | 0 | – | IMB, dyspareunia |
| Prolonged bleeding | 1 | PT, CT/GC | Prolonged bleeding | – | 0 | – | Patient's choice, not required |
| Expelled IUD | 0 | – | Expulsion | – | 0 | – | Discharge, recurrent BV |
| HMB, painful periods | 0 | – | HMB, painful periods | Threads not felt | 2 | PT | To conceive |
| Pain | 1 | CT/GC | Pain | HMB, pain | 2 | PT, CT/GC | HMB, pain, partial expulsion |
| HMB | 1 | – | HMB | – | 0 | – | To conceive |
| HMB, pain | 1 | PT, CT/GC | HMB, partial expulsion | – | 0 | – | To conceive |
| HMB, longer periods | 1 | – | HMB, longer periods | – | 0 | – | Expulsion |
| – | 0 | – | Not stated | ||||
| Pain | 1 | PT, CT/GC | Pain | ||||
| HMB, PCB | 1 | CT/GC | HMB, PCB | ||||
| Pain | 1 | – | HMB | ||||
| Pain | 1 | – | Partial expulsion | ||||
| Pain, prolonged bleeding | 1 | – | Pain, prolonged bleeding | ||||
| – | 1 | – | Pregnancy. TOP referral | ||||
| PID, HMB, pain | 1 | CT/GC | Pain, prolonged bleeding | ||||
| HMB, prolonged bleeding | 0 | – | Prolonged bleeding | ||||
| Expulsion | 1 | TVS | Expulsion | ||||
Atts, number of additional attendances prior to IUD discontinuation; BV, bacterial vaginosis; CT/GC, vaginal swab for chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing; HMB, heavy menstrual bleeding; IMB, intermenstrual bleeding; IUD, intrauterine device ; LAP, lower abdominal pain; PCB, postcoital bleeding; PID, pelvic inflammatory disease; PT, pregnancy test; TOP, termination of pregnancy; TVS, transvaginal ultrasound scan.