IUDs: A Highly Effective Method of Contraception

When used correctly as long-term contraception in women, the efficacy of intrauterine devices (IUD), including copper and levonorgestrel are superior to other conventional methods of birth control including "the pill" and the patch. However, the IUD is often times overlooked by patients seeking contraception despite its ease of use and extremely low failure rates (Prescott & Matthews, 2013). Research suggests that the underuse of IUDs by women may be correlated with misleading information, adverse side effects, ethical attitudes or beliefs, and a lack of understanding of IUD actions on the body. In the future as women become more informed about the long-acting and reversible attributes of IUDs, they are likely to become the first-line contraceptive options because of their superior contraceptive effectiveness in real-life use and their established safety profile.