Profile of clients requesting for removal of intrauterine devices in Jos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background/Objective:

Method:
A retrospective study of all patients having their previously inserted IUDs removed at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Northern Nigeria, between January 1999 and December 2004.

Results:
The mean (± SD) age and parity of the clients was 32.9 ± 6.9 years and 4.0 ± 2.2 respectively. All the women were married and none of them was a nullipara. The TCu-380A IUD was used in 99.3% of the cases. The women were using the method for a mean of 51.5 ± 51.0 months or 4.3 years, and the commonest indication for removal was the desire for another pregnancy in 30.7% of the clients, followed by back pain in 12.6%. The mean weight (± SD) of the women at the insertion of the IUD was 66.67 ± 13.95 kg and the mean weight at the removal of the device was 69.3 ± 14.9 kg. The average weight gain with IUD use was therefore 2.6 kg.

Conclusion:
The observed weight increase in IUD users is probably occasioned by the annulment of the fear of pregnancy, and the tendency of women to gain weight with increasing age.

Keywords:
Intrauterine device, weight gain, TCu-380A

Annals of African Medicine Vol. 5(2) 2006: 89-92