Safe and Suitable for Nearly All Women

Most women can use IUDs safely and effectively, including women who:

• Have or have not had children
• Are married or are not married
• Are of any age, including adolescents and women over 40 years old
• Have just had an abortion or miscarriage (if no evidence of infection)
• Are breastfeeding
• Do hard physical work
• Have had ectopic pregnancy
• Have had pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Have vaginal infections
• Have anemia
• Have HIV clinical disease that is mild or with no symptoms whether or not they are on antiretroviral therapy (see IUDs for Women With HIV)

Avoid Unnecessary Procedures

(see Importance of Selected Procedures in Chapter 26 – Family Planning Provision)

Women can begin using IUDs:

• Without cervical cancer screening
• Without a breast examination
• Without a blood pressure check