IUD Self-Removal Study

April 22, 2026 updated by: Jessica Reid, Oregon Health and Science University

IUD Self-Removal: A Study to Pilot the Feasibility of a Novel Technique

This is a pilot study designed to test the effectiveness of several techniques for intrauterine device (IUD) self-removal and to understand patient preferences regarding IUD self-removal and indicators of success as well as understanding the impacts of IUD self-removal on other clinical care.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

The Investigators propose to test a novel method for self-removal of IUDs in an effort to increase the proportion of patients who are able to successfully and safely remove their IUD when desired. Participants will attempt self-removal in office, where a provider will be able to remove the IUD if unsuccessful. Participants will be instructed on current and novel techniques and the investigators will examine indicators of success as well as patient and provider preferences.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

30

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Oregon
      • Portland, Oregon, United States, 97239
        • Oregon Health & Science Univeristy

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 50 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Presenting at clinic for IUD removal or exchange
  • Willing and able to give consent with literacy in English or Spanish

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants who are referred for a complicated IUD removal such as a stingless IUD, prior failed IUD removal attempt, or an IUD failure.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Other: IUD Self-Removal
The provider will offer any individual presenting for in-person IUD removal or exchange (removal-replacement) the option for self-removal. The participant will be provided a 'how to' instruction sheet with information on positioning and what to expect. The participant will first attempt removal with clean hands if desired, then utilizing non-sterile, clean gloves (not explicitly tested in prior studies) and if that fails, the use of a menstrual cup (a novel technique). If not successful, the provider will perform standard IUD removal in the clinic.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Effectiveness of IUD Self-Removal Techniques
Time Frame: Immediately after IUD Removal
Proportion of participants who successfully remove their IUDs
Immediately after IUD Removal

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jessica Reid, MD, Oregon Health and Science University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

June 10, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 20, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

October 20, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 15, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 15, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

April 21, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 27, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 22, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • STUDY00023967

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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