title: Women's willingness and ability to feel the strings of their intrauterine device.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine how many intrauterine device (IUD) users are willing and able to palpate their IUD strings.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted among IUD users presenting for their 6-week follow-up visit after insertion at the University of Hawaii, USA, between January 2011 and January 2012. Participants were asked whether they had previously felt the strings and whether they were willing to do so during the visit. Bivariate analyses and multiple logistic regression were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Previous attempts to palpate IUD strings were reported by 74 (58.7%) of 126 participants, of whom 49 (66.2%) could feel the strings. At the study visit, 60 (47.6%) participants were willing to try to feel their strings; 33 (55.0%) were successful. Overall, 58 (46.0%) participants were willing and able to palpate their IUD strings at home and/or at the study visit. Fewer women who self-identified as native Hawaiian than women of other races reported previous attempts (P=0.005). Previous instruction to check IUD strings was associated with willingness to palpate them before and after controlling for native Hawaiian race (odds ratio 8.78, 95% CI 3.43-22.43; adjusted odds ratio 9.64, 95% CI 3.57-26.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Approximately half the participants were willing and able to palpate their IUD strings. Routinely counseling women to check their IUD strings could have limited clinical utility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tschann
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.
authors.forename: Reni
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soon
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.
authors.forename: Bliss
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaneshiro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices; D016353:Self-Examination / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Contraceptive management; Follow-up; IUD strings; Intrauterine device; Long-acting reversible contraception