• intrauterine devices
• intrauterine systems

I was very interested to read Speedie et al.'s report1 on their carefully conducted randomised trial of two stabilising forceps for the insertion of intrauterine contraception (IUC). Their finding that there is no significant difference in the pain experienced on application of single-toothed volsellum forceps and Littlewood forceps in the specific group of women selected, those with at least one vaginal delivery, is interesting, and was certainly worth establishing objectively. However, I was disappointed that the instrument selected by them as the comparator for the obviously ‘traumatic’ single-toothed volsellum was the Littlewood forceps rather than a commonly-used alternative, the Judd-Allis forceps.

The Judd-Allis forceps (Figure 1A) is a lengthened form of the Allis forceps that …