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IUD Demand Spiked Exponentially After US Election

by Bidita Debnath on Nov 17 2016 12:17 AM

On a typical couple of October days, Planned Parenthood clinics in Massachusetts got six online requests for appointments from women who wanted an IUD.

 IUD Demand Spiked Exponentially After US Election
Some doctors in the U.S. are reporting more women asking their physicians about long-lasting birth control devices following concerns about free access to contraception if Trump takes office and ends the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
An IUD is one of the most enduring forms of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) -- it can can last between three and 10 years depending on the type. IUDs, along with hormonal implants, are highly effective, long-acting forms of birth control that can run hundreds of dollars if not covered by insurance. Their popularity has been rising rapidly in recent years, helped along by the Obamacare birth-control mandate, which took effect in 2012. Now, not only is Obamacare imperiled, but concerns are rising about the fate of legal abortion.

"We have seen a clear-cut increase in discussion through electronic medical records and discussions with patient at gynecologist visits," said Dr. Adam Jacobs, division director of family planning in the department of obstetrics/gynecology and reproductive science at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The clinics — collectively the state's largest provider of reproductive and sexual health care — can handle the spike in demand, Wajda says. But "I don't think this surge is a coincidence," she says. "I think it's a reflection of people's concerns for their ability to access the health care that they need."

The spike in IUD demand came as many a young woman's social media feed lit up with advice to get an IUD now, while Obamacare — which mandates that birth control be covered with no out-of-pocket costs — is still in force. President-elect Trump vowed during his campaign that he would get the health care law repealed, though he has since allowed that some parts of it could be kept.

The trending discussions on birth control access have promoted long-lasting methods, especially intrauterine devices, or IUDs. Google searches for IUD spiked exponentially in the hours after Trump was elected.

Source-Medindia


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