By Sarah Wilson
National World
June 25, 2021

“Most medical advice says painkillers should be enough to ease the pain associated with coil fittings and removals – but in recent weeks, thousands of women have shared experiences of excruciating pain during and after procedures.”
“If you read most official medical advice, you’d be forgiven for thinking that getting a contraceptive coil (IUD/IUS) fitted is no worse than a routine vaccination.
The fitting itself should take “no longer than five minutes”, states NHS advice. The word “uncomfortable” is widely used to describe the sensation experienced, while popping a couple of painkillers is touted as all you’ll need to recover from the procedure. For some women, the description matches the reality. For accountant Lucy Cohen, however, the experience was a far cry from her expectations.”
“In a bid to see whether this was a simple fluke or a wider trend, Lucy took to social media and launched a survey asking for women to share their experiences of coil fittings.”
“Lucy, as it turned out, was far from an anomaly. As a non-hormonal, long-lasting contraceptive, the coil is an increasingly popular choice for women in the UK, yet, until now, the pain associated with getting them has been largely swept under the carpet.
“Attracting over 1,300 responses, Lucy’s survey saw 95% of women saying the procedure was painful, while well over half - 60% - rated that pain in the top four tiers set out in the questionnaire. Around 75% said they did not feel adequately prepared for what to expect.”
“Improving this experience goes beyond reducing pain for individuals, says Lucy, pointing out that failure to adequately communicate the risks and realities of fittings can create a trust problem between doctors and patients. “In my survey, 71% of women said their expectations weren’t managed in terms of what to expect from the fitting. They may now have a trust issue.””

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Personal Stories About Painful Insertion