Virtual Reality for Pain Reduction During IUD Insertion

June 12, 2026 updated by: Dr. Manal Abdelaziz, Tanta University

Virtual Reality as a Non-Pharmacological Distraction Intervention During Intrauterine Device Insertion: A Quasi-Experimental Study

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) as a non-pharmacological distraction intervention during intrauterine device (IUD) insertion. IUD insertion is commonly associated with pain and anxiety, which may negatively affect patient experience and acceptance of the procedure.

In this quasi-experimental study, women undergoing IUD insertion were allocated into two groups: a virtual reality group receiving immersive audiovisual distraction during the procedure and a control group receiving standard care. Pain intensity and anxiety levels were assessed and compared between the two groups.

The findings of this study are expected to support the use of VR as a safe, simple, and non-invasive method to reduce procedural pain and anxiety and improve patient satisfaction during IUD insertion.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study with a non-equivalent control group was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) as a non-pharmacological distraction intervention during intrauterine device (IUD) insertion.

A total of 90 women undergoing IUD insertion were enrolled and allocated into two groups using clinic registration numbers: an intervention group (VR group) and a control group. The control group received standard care, including routine pre-procedural counseling and IUD insertion, while the intervention group received the same standard care in addition to a virtual reality-based intervention.

The VR intervention consisted of both pre-procedural and intra-procedural components. Before the procedure, participants viewed a structured educational video explaining the IUD insertion process. During the procedure, participants wore a head-mounted virtual reality device displaying immersive calming audiovisual content, such as natural landscapes accompanied by soft music, to provide distraction and reduce attention to procedural stimuli.

The primary outcome was pain intensity, assessed during IUD insertion using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Secondary outcomes included state anxiety, measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) State subscale (score range: 20-80, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety), and patient satisfaction with the procedure.

Outcome measures were assessed at baseline (immediately before the procedure) and immediately after IUD insertion. The study was conducted in a clinical setting at Tanta University, and ethical approval was obtained prior to data collection.

This study aims to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of VR as a safe, non-invasive, and cost-effective intervention to reduce pain and anxiety and improve the overall patient experience during IUD insertion procedures.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

90

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

  • Egypt
      • Tanta, Egypt, 74322
        • Tanta university hospital

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

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Women eligible for intrauterine device (IUD) insertion
  • Age between 18 and 45 years
  • Willing to participate and provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Contraindications to IUD insertion
  • History of severe anxiety disorders
  • Previous adverse reaction to virtual reality
  • Refusal to participate

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: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Virtual Reality
Participants receive virtual reality distraction during intrauterine device insertion.
Behavioral: Virtual Reality
Use of virtual reality headset as a distraction method during IUD insertion.
No Intervention: Control Group
Participants receive routine care during intrauterine device insertion without virtual reality.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain intensity measured using Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
Time Frame: During IUD insertion procedure
Pain intensity will be assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain.
During IUD insertion procedure

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
State anxiety level measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) - State subscale (S-Anxiety)
Time Frame: Baseline (immediately before IUD insertion) and immediately after the procedure
State anxiety will be assessed using the STAI State subscale (S-Anxiety), a validated 20-item self-report tool. Items are rated on a 4-point Likert scale, with total scores ranging from 20 to 80. Higher scores indicate greater levels of state anxiety.
Baseline (immediately before IUD insertion) and immediately after the procedure

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Tanta 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)

September 1, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

March 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 9, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 12, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 15, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 15, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 12, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • VR-IUD-2024

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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