An Integrative Review of Extended Use of Intrauterine Devices.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the evidence on the impact of extended use of intrauterine devices (IUDs) use among women of reproductive age.

DATA SOURCES: Electronic resource databases used were PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed articles published during 2012 to 2022 were considered.

ARTICLE SELECTION: Ten articles met the criteria and included data for a total of 7,420 women.

DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted from each study using the subheadings "Author/Date," "Participants," "Methods," "Interventions," and "Outcomes." Additionally, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to guide data extraction.

DATA SYNTHESIS: Common themes were identified among each of the articles that supported the purpose of this integrative review, such as adverse effects, perceived effectiveness, pregnancy prevention, and cost effectiveness of extended use of IUDs.

CONCLUSION: The available evidence supports the notion that extending IUD use beyond the original time frame approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is safe and effective with minimal side effects. However, there remains a paucity of evidence examining this topic.