Chapter 21: How to insert an IUD
11. Measure the womb by inserting a sterile
sound through the opening of the cervix
and into the womb.
You must hold the sound only by the
handle, and carefully insert it into the cervix.
Do not let it touch anything but the cervix.
The sound will not be sterile if it touches
anything — even the woman’s vagina.
Rarely, a woman may start
to feel dizzy or ill when
you are inserting a sound
or IUD into her womb.
She may be having a vagal
reaction (see page 426).
Insert the sound gently and firmly. If it is
difficult to push the sound through the cervix,
turn it as you push. Do not push too hard. This
could push the sound so far that
you could puncture the womb.
This is very dangerous.
Once the sound is
through the cervix,
gently push the sound
until you feel it touch
the back of the womb.
The sound has marks on it that are 1 centimeter
apart. When you pull the sound out, it will be wet
up to a mark. This tells you the size of the womb.
12. When you know the size of the womb, you can
set the inserter so it will be the same length as the womb.
The sound is wet
up to this point . . .
. . . so move the gauge to
the same distance from
the end of the tube.
Look at the IUD inside the
package. The inserter tube has a
small movable gauge on it in the
package. Move the gauge on the
tube to the same size as the
womb. Do this by pushing on
the gauge while the sterile IUD is
still inside the package.
13. Now open the package all the way, take the
inserter tube out of the package, and insert
the IUD into the womb. Keep the IUD
sterile! Do not let it touch anything,
even the side of the vagina.
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A Book for Midwives (2010)