Should We Prepare for Another IUD Panic?
The potential implications of politically induced IUD panic among Americans.
In a shocking turn of events, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg (RBG) has recently passed away at the age of 87 due to cancer-related complications. The loss of RBG has been devastating to many, due to her legacy as a Supreme Court Justice and as a champion of women’s rights.
At this point, it is still unclear what the widespread political repercussions of RBG’s death will look like in the United States. In light of her passing in proximity to the quickly approaching presidential election, many Americans are already thinking about how to prepare for the worst.
In response to RBG’s death, I will discuss two main points:
- The emerging phenomenon of intrauterine device (IUD) panic that fluctuates in response to hard-right conservatism gaining power at the federal level in the United States.
- An examination of what IUD panic may signify regarding reproductive choice.
I conclude that further investigation is needed to better understand the fluctuating demands of IUDs that appear to be in response to significant political events. I additionally advocate for broader conceptual reflection of the meaning of IUD panics and how they relate to reproductive access and “choice” in America.
Political Shifts Towards Hard-Right Conservatism and IUD Panic in the U.S.
The 2016 IUD Panic
Not too long ago President Donald Trump’s election in 2016 caused a wave of panic regarding access to reproductive health resources.
Research has since shown that long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) insertion procedures increased by 22% in the U.S over several weeks before and after the 2016 election. Months after this election, Planned Parenthood reported a 900% increase in appointments requesting IUD insertion procedures in their clinics.
This evidence suggests that major national-level political shifts toward hard-right conservatism may have not only triggered a wave of fear online but also real actionable change in long-acting contraceptive use among Americans.
Another IUD Panic in 2020?
In the wake of RBG’s death and the approaching 2020 election, some women on social media are yet again becoming increasingly worried about their access to reproductive healthcare in the United States.
In an all too familiar echo, some women are taking to social media and recommending that others consider a long-acting form of contraception, such as an IUD, that can outlast another election cycle.
Only time will tell whether or not Americans will, yet again, rush to their doctor’s offices for IUDs and LARCs over the next few weeks or even months. However, researchers, healthcare workers, and policy-makers alike should consider monitoring for yet another wave of LARC insertion demands as we approach closer to November.
Not only should sexual and reproductive health professionals and advocates watch for an uptick in LARC usage, but we need to seriously consider the broader implications about what this means for our country.
The concept of choice is key to sexual and reproductive health rights. Women, and other marginalized identities in need of reproductive healthcare, should not feel pressured to get an IUD purely out of fear. Americans deserve access to birth control that they want because it is what holistically best meets their needs.
Addendum 9/25/2020: This article was published on BeingWell with major changes that the author was not aware of until after it was published. Sections that were cut/lost related to race, class, and marginalization.
