IUDs, or intra-uterine devices, are gaining in popularity with as a form of birth control, with more than a 99% efficacy at preventing pregnancy.
But, it wasn’t always like this. Some might still be wary of past failures, like the Dalkon Shield in the early 1970s. The Dalkon Shield was taken off the market only after it caused multiple deaths, infertility and sterility, and miscarriages stemming from pelvic infections caused by the Shield’s design.
What can we learn about this and other past failures in designing reproductive health devices?
Our guest on this episode of Perpetual Notion Machine is Dr. Catherine Klapperich, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University and the Founding Director of the BU Precision Diagnostics Center. She says that having a diverse team is integral to preventing failures and tragedies down the line, and why scientists need to “look around the table when [designing] something and ask yourself, ‘Y’know, who’s not here, that should be here?'”
She and new host Lauren Hicks discuss the shortcomings and ultimate failure of reproductive health devices, from the Dalkon Shield to Essure, a device designed as an alternative to tubal litigation. They also discuss the weaponization of surveillance technology in a post-Roe nation.
About the guest:
Dr. Catherine Klapperich is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University, where she leads the Laboratory for Diagnostics and Global Healthcare Technologies, and is a member of the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Her research is focused on engineering medical devices for trans women’s and women’s health, use in low resource settings, and at the point of care.
She’s a recipient of multiple research awards, and contributes to several health news outlets. You can read her article, “From the Dalkon Shield to Britney Spears’ IUD: Why Diverse Teams Need to Be Involved in Contraceptive Design,” here, and find more about her at profklapperich.com.
Photo by Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition on Unsplash
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