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Unintended pregnancy continues to be a significant problem in the U.S., particularly among poor and uninsured women. Improving access to long-acting contraceptive options, specifically the intrauterine device (IUD), could lower the rate of unplanned pregnancy. Two recent papers address issues of access, efficacy, and use of IUDs.
A retrospective cohort study at two North Carolina clinics evaluated the efficacy of the Access to Resources in Contraceptive Health (ARCH) Foundation program, which provides the levonorgestrel intrauterine device (LNG-IUS) at no charge to poor and uninsured women. Women aged 15 to 44 approved for the ARCH program between 2003 and 2009 were eligible to participate. Women who used the LNG-IUS (exposed group; n=65) we…