NSFG 2022-2023 · 5,586 women surveyed · EA-13d — IUD
IUD — Who Walks Away
How we get to the number
1,124 Ever used IUD: respondents where this method appears in their contraceptive history (RECODE ever-use flag).
263 Stopped due to dissatisfaction: of those, respondents with METHSTOP code 19 in any METHSTOP01–09 slot (EA-13d / EA-17 section). Unique respondent count — multiple mentions of the same method are counted once.
The remaining 861 women either continued using the IUD, stopped for other reasons (device expired, wanted to conceive), or were never dissatisfied with any method.
The takeaway
23.4%
Of all women who ever used iud explicitly stopped using it because they were unhappy with it.
263 out of 1124 iud users
861
Used iud but did not stop it due to dissatisfaction — they either continued, switched for other reasons, or were never dissatisfied.
76.6% of iud users
263
Women who explicitly named iud as a method they stopped due to dissatisfaction.
out of 1124 total iud users
861 = n_users − n_stopped = 1,124 − 263 (users who did not stop due to dissatisfaction)
263 = unique respondents with METHSTOP code 19 in any METHSTOP01–09 slot; source: EA-17. See funnel for details.
EI-3 · Why current users stay on the IUD
Birth control / contraception
491 · 89.3%
To reduce menstrual bleeding
159 · 28.9%
To regulate menstrual periods
110 · 20.0%
Cramps or pain during menstrual periods
108 · 19.6%
Other reasons
31 · 5.6%
Treatment for endometriosis
16 · 2.9%
Treatment for acne
13 · 2.4%
Treatment for hot flashes / peri-menopausal symptoms
10 · 1.8%
Emergency contraception
4 · 0.7%
Universe: 550 women who used the IUD in the current or prior month (EI-3 YUSEIUD1–5). Each respondent may mention up to 5 reasons — percentages do not sum to 100%. n = unique women citing this reason across any mention slot. Don't Know excluded. 2022–2023 cycle only.
Variable map — EI-3 (current users)
Multi-response question: YUSEIUD1–5 — up to 5 reason slots per respondent.
n = unique respondents citing this reason in any slot. Refused / Don't Know excluded. Universe is current or prior-month users only, not all ever-users.
Percentages do not sum to 100% because each respondent may cite multiple reasons simultaneously.
EA-21a · IUD type at discontinuation
Variable map — EA-21a (IUD type)
Source: TYPEIUD_1 — type of IUD discontinued due to dissatisfaction. Categories are mutually exclusive; percentages sum to ~100%.
Universe matches EA-21b: women who stopped the IUD due to dissatisfaction (EA-17 METHSTOP = 19). TYPEIUD_2 (second mention, n=9 in 2022–23 / n=8 in 2017–19) is excluded — too small to report separately.
EA-21b · Why they walked away from the IUD
Had side effects (e.g. cramping)
169 · 64.3%
Did not like changes to menstrual cycle
113 · 43.0%
Other reason
55 · 20.9%
Doctor advised stopping due to other health problems
30 · 11.4%
Decreased sexual pleasure
26 · 9.9%
Partner did not like it
23 · 8.7%
Worried about possible side effects
13 · 4.9%
Method failed — became pregnant
8 · 3.0%
Worried the method would not work
4 · 1.5%
Too messy
3 · 1.1%
Too difficult to obtain
3 · 1.1%
Did not protect against disease / STIs
3 · 1.1%
Too difficult to use
2 · 0.8%
Too expensive
1 · 0.4%
Universe: 263 women who stopped the IUD due to dissatisfaction (EA-17 METHSTOP = 19). Each respondent may mention up to 6 reasons (REASIUD01–06) — percentages do not sum to 100%. n = unique women citing this reason across any mention slot. 2022–2023 cycle only.
Variable map — EA-21b (walk-away reasons)
Multi-response question: up to 7 reason slots per stopped method; source: EA-21b section. Reason variables: REASIUD01–06.
n = unique respondents citing this reason in any slot. Percentages do not sum to 100%.
Universe (263) is the count of respondents with EA-21 data for this method. A small gap versus the EA-17 METHSTOP count (if any) reflects NSFG routing: some respondents may have answered EA-21 reasons without a matching EA-17 entry. Both figures are reported as observed in the raw data.
Who are these women?
Variable map — demographic profiles
Mention slot: which METHSTOP0N position this method appeared in. Most dissatisfied stoppers list their primary method in slot 1 (METHSTOP01).
Dissatisfied rate by race/ethnicity: n_stopped ÷ n_users within each group. Denominators vary; see individual n counts for context.