The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has issued formal guidance on pain management practices for the insertion of intrauterine devices and other common in-office OB-GYN procedures.
Four things to know:
1. The long-awaited clinical guidance, released May 15, recommends clinicians offer local anesthetics for IUD insertions, including lidocaine spray, lidocaine-prilocaine cream and paracervical block.
2. ACOG also advises the use of various pain management strategies for other procedures, including endometrial biopsy, hysteroscopy, intrauterine imaging and cervical biopsy.
3. The guidance encourages clinicians to discuss and offer patient management options to all patients undergoing in-office procedures, recognizing that pain and anxiety about pain can deter individuals from seeking care.
4.The clinical guidance builds on CDC recommendations released last August, which focused specifically on pain management for IUD insertions.
