[Comparison of family physicians' and gynecologists' use of the intrauterine device (IUD)]. / Comparación en el uso del dispositivo intrauterino (DIU) entre médicos de familia y ginecólogos.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify differences between general practitioners (GPs) and gynaecologists in the technique of insertion and follow-up of the intra-uterine device (IUD). DESIGN: Multicentred, descriptive, longitudinal study. SETTING: Two urban health centres and a family guidance clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Target population (n = 1700) between January 1993 and January 1996. Estimated mean of complications was 25%. Sample size was 247 for alpha = 0.05 and 1-alpha = 0.95. The sample was extended to 300 to allow for possible losses of files, estimated at 20%. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The variables age, sex, marital status, educational level, parity, abortions, previous contraception, type of job, type of IUD, post-insertion and follow-up complications, subjective evaluation, removal and average follow-up time, were analysed. 158 (54.9%) of the 288 IUDs finally studied were inserted by GPs, and 130 (45.1%) by gynaecologists. 69.5% were anchor-shaped, and 30.5% T-shaped. In 85.5% no immediate complications were found. Mean follow-up time was 22.67 months (CI 95%, 21.3-24.0), during which time 36.6% had complications detected, which led to removal of the device in 22.3% of complications. We found no statistically significant differences between the two populations for age, marital status, subjective evaluation, number of abortions, parity or previous contraception. Likewise, no differences between G.P.s and gynaecologists were detected for post-insertion or follow-up complications, percentage of IUDs removed, or period of time evaluated. There were differences found for the type of IUD used, with more anchor-shaped IUDs in primary care. There were no differences for the type of IUD or complications requiring its removal. CONCLUSIONS: In the population studied we found no differences in immediate or later complications between IUDs inserted by GPs and by gynaecologists.