In America, about one in 10 women use intrauterine devices (IUDs), T-shaped bits of plastic or copper that are inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. In Sweden, those numbers are nearly double, with IUD use high in Norway and Finland as well. Though the devices aren't uniformly popular in Western and Northern Europe, they're sought after in parts of East and Southeast Asia. They're most popular in Vietnam, where an estimated 27 percent of Vietnamese women of childbearing age use the devices. In many other countries, even ones where IUD usage rates are similar to ours, there are tons of options on the market. In Great Britain, women have at least 20 options of diverse sizes and shapes. In the U.S, women have just five—four options for hormonal IUDs (Mirena, Kyleena, Liletta, and Skyla) and one option for copper IUDs (Paragard).
Though IUDs remain less popular, internationally, than the old standbys—condoms and the pill—why haven't American women gravitated more toward IUDs, given their long-acting nature? And, now that some 26 states will either no longer have legalized abortion or enact tighter restrictions, will IUDs rise in popularity, providing women with an option that cuts human error out of the equation and confers consistent protection against pregnancy?
