Predictors of severe pain during insertion of the levonorgestrel 52 mg intrauterine system among nulligravid women

• Published in: Contraception (Stoneham) Vol. 102; no. 4; pp. 267 - 269
• Main Authors: Ferreira, Letícia Sanchez, de Nadai, Mariane Nunes, Poli-Neto, Omero B., Franceschini, Silvio A., Juliato, Cássia R.T., Monteiro, Ilza Maria U., Bahamondes, Luis, Vieira, Carolina Sales
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.10.2020
• Subjects: Contraception; Levonorgestrel intrauterine system; Nulligravid women; Pain; Nulligravid women; Contraception; Levonorgestrel intrauterine system; Pain
• ISSN: 0010-7824; 1879-0518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2020.07.004

To identify sociodemographic and clinical variables associated with severe pain with levonorgestrel 52 mg intrauterine system (IUS) placement among nulligravid women. We performed a secondary analysis of a randomized trial that evaluated intracervical anesthesia before IUS insertion. We assessed factors associated with severe pain (visual analog scale pain score ≥7) immediately after insertion using bivariate and multiple regression analyses. Overall, 137/300 (45.7%) subjects reported severe pain. In multiple regression analysis, only intracervical anesthesia [RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.37–0.80] and a history of dysmenorrhea [RR 1.36, 95% CI 1.08–1.72)] were associated with severe pain. Among nulligravid women, a history of dysmenorrhea increases, and intracervical block decreases severe pain during levonorgestrel IUS insertion. Dysmenorrhea increases the risk of severe pain at levonorgestrel intrauterine system insertion, while receiving an intracervical lidocaine block decreases this risk. This information can be useful for counseling women prior to device placement and for selecting candidates who may particularly benefit from interventions to reduce pain.