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24 November 2003
Many websites about the intrauterine
device contain harmful misinformation or biased and outdated
guidance,
which is likely to limit women's consideration of the IUD as
an appropriate form of birth control, say researchers.
Kirsten
Moore and Eve Weiss (Reproductive Health Technologies Project,
Washington DC, USA) surveyed 143 websites to investigate the
prevalence of IUD information on general contraception websites
and the quality of information on IUD-specific sites.
Although
all of the general contraception websites included information
about the IUD, almost two thirds were not up-to-date and around
one third presented standard product information inaccurately.
Among the IUD-specific sites, half suggested that the IUD increases
the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, without explaining
that this risk is limited to the 3 weeks following insertion;
more than two thirds claimed the device increases the risk
of ectopic pregnancy; and nearly one quarter posed the IUD
as a fertility risk.
In addition, less than 60 percent said
it was reversible, and the majority failed to mention the protective
effect of the Mirena intrauterine system against certain gynecological
illnesses.
"It is vital to monitor the quality of information
available to consumers online and encourage clinicians to take
an active role in correcting misperceptions among their patients," the
team says.
Source:ćContraception
2003; 68: 359-364
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Contraception