TENS Unit for Analgesia During IUD Insertion

NCT ID: NCT06240260

Last Updated: 2025-06-04

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-04-30

Study Completion Date

2025-12-31

Brief Summary

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Subjects will be screened over the phone or in Tufts GYN clinic for participation in the study. If eligible and interested in participating, written informed consent (and assent if applicable) will be obtained. After informed consent/assent, the patient will be enrolled in the study. The patient will decide if they desire to use TENS unit during IUD insertion appointment and inform the study team. The clinic visit will proceed as normal, with additional study proceedings as follows. The study personnel will complete the 'Background Questionnaire' with the patient prior to IUD insertion. During the IUD insertion appointment, study personnel will assist in collection of the 'Study visit' data collection form. This includes recording the patient's pain score at various time points throughout the insertion procedure:

* anticipated pain during IUD insertion
* baseline pain prior to insertion
* speculum insertion
* tenaculum placement
* paracervical block administration (if performed)
* cervical dilation (if performed)
* uterine sounding
* IUD insertion
* 5 minutes after IUD insertion

Study personnel will also time the insertion procedure and collect additional data as outlined in the 'Study visit data collection form.' After IUD insertion, the participant will be asked to complete the 'Post-IUD Insertion Survey.' Once this survey is complete, this will conclude the study participation. Participation will last through the study visit only.

As part of the standard of care, a urine pregnancy test will be obtained and confirmed negative prior to IUD insertion. Patients will receive routine pain management modalities per shared decision-making with their clinical provider which may include NSAID administration, paracervical block, and heating pad.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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IUD Analgesia Patient Preference Pain, Acute

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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TENS unit

Patients who choose to use a TENS unit for their IUD insertion procedure

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) unit

Intervention Type DEVICE

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a method of pain relief involving the use of a mild electrical current.

A TENS machine is a small, battery-operated device that has leads connected to sticky pads called electrodes.

Standard care

Patients who decline to use a TENS unit for their IUD insertion procedure

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Standard care

Intervention Type OTHER

Paracervical block only or participant declines analgesia for IUD insertion

Interventions

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TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) unit

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a method of pain relief involving the use of a mild electrical current.

A TENS machine is a small, battery-operated device that has leads connected to sticky pads called electrodes.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Standard care

Paracervical block only or participant declines analgesia for IUD insertion

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) machine

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Persons with a uterus desiring insertion of intrauterine device
2. Able to provide informed consent/assent
3. Age 12-50 years old
4. Minors 12 years of age and older will be included in the study if postmenarchal

Exclusion Criteria

1. Unable to provide informed consent/assent
2. Prior cervical procedure (ie loop electrosurgical excision procedure, LEEP)
3. Concurrent cervical or intrauterine procedure (ie colposcopy or dilation and curettage)
4. Cutaneous damage at the TENS electrode sites
5. Chronic or pre-procedure use of opioids
6. Chronic pain diagnosis
7. Prior IUD insertion
8. Any contraindication to intrauterine device (IUD):

1. Pregnancy
2. Uterine anomaly that distorts the uterine cavity
3. Acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
4. Postpartum endometritis or infected abortion in the past 3 months
5. Unexplained abnormal uterine bleeding
6. Wilson's disease or copper allergy (contraindication to copper IUD only)
7. Breast cancer (contraindication to levonorgestrel IUD only
Minimum Eligible Age

12 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

50 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Tufts Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Andrea Zuckerman, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Tufts Medical Center

Locations

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Tufts Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Caitie McCarthy, MD

Role: CONTACT

617-636-9897

Facility Contacts

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Alysa St. Charles, MA

Role: primary

617-636-9897

References

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Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Hurwitz S. Pigmented nevi. Semin Dermatol. 1988 Mar;7(1):17-25. No abstract available.

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Kavanaugh ML, Frohwirth L, Jerman J, Popkin R, Ethier K. Long-acting reversible contraception for adolescents and young adults: patient and provider perspectives. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2013 Apr;26(2):86-95. doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2012.10.006. Epub 2012 Dec 31.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31401254 (View on PubMed)

ACOG Committee Opinion No. 735: Adolescents and Long-Acting Reversible Contraception: Implants and Intrauterine Devices. Obstet Gynecol. 2018 May;131(5):e130-e139. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002632.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29683910 (View on PubMed)

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Committee on Gynecologic Practice; Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Expert Work Group. Committee Opinion No 672: Clinical Challenges of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Methods. Obstet Gynecol. 2016 Sep;128(3):e69-77. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000001644.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Crawford M, Davy S, Book N, Elliott JO, Arora A. Oral Ketorolac for Pain Relief During Intrauterine Device Insertion: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2017 Dec;39(12):1143-1149. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2017.05.014. Epub 2017 Aug 18.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28826645 (View on PubMed)

Nagatomo T, Tajiri A, Nakamura T, Hokibara R, Tanaka Y, Aono J, Tsuchihashi H. Adrenergic and serotonergic receptor-blocking potencies of terazosin, a new antihypertensive agent, as assessed by radioligand binding assay. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 1987 Apr;35(4):1629-32. doi: 10.1248/cpb.35.1629. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 2888542 (View on PubMed)

Mody SK, Kiley J, Rademaker A, Gawron L, Stika C, Hammond C. Pain control for intrauterine device insertion: a randomized trial of 1% lidocaine paracervical block. Contraception. 2012 Dec;86(6):704-9. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2012.06.004. Epub 2012 Jul 6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22770792 (View on PubMed)

Sluka KA, Walsh D. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation: basic science mechanisms and clinical effectiveness. J Pain. 2003 Apr;4(3):109-21. doi: 10.1054/jpai.2003.434.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 14622708 (View on PubMed)

Rignon-Bret JM, Pompignoli M. [Esthetic presentation]. Inf Dent. 1987 Sep 24;69(32):2757-72. No abstract available. French.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 3327829 (View on PubMed)

Lison JF, Amer-Cuenca JJ, Piquer-Marti S, Benavent-Caballer V, Bivia-Roig G, Marin-Buck A. Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation for Pain Relief During Office Hysteroscopy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Feb;129(2):363-370. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000001842.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28079781 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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STUDY00004077

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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