Is ibuprofen helpful in reducing the pain of IUD insertion?
A recent study examined the pain associated with the insertion of a copper-T intra-uterine device (IUD) and whether a 400 mg dose of ibuprofen would improve the pain scores. A total of 2019 women participated, 1011 used ibuprofen 45 minutes before IUD insertion, and 1008 used a placebo (sugar) pill. Using a visual analog scale (a line labeled from 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain, and 10 being the worst pain imaginable), participants marked an X on the line that measured the amount of pain they felt with the IUD insertion. There was no significant difference in pain scores between the two groups. Forty-eight percent of women marked a pain score of 1 or less, while only 4.4 % marked a score of 7 or higher. Women who were older, had never had a baby, or whose last pregnancy had ended more than six months ago had higher pain scores. The 400 mg dose of ibuprofen did not improve the pain score in any group. What is reassuring is that the overall pain scores were quite low. Women who are afraid
