Skip to main content

Aligna-Painless IUD placement

Aligna-Painless IUD Insertion aims to alleviate pain inducing steps from the IUD insertion process by innovating a device to reduce steps in the process and allow increased comfort for the patient.

Project Overview

The Aligna Painless IUD Placement device is intended to provide a more comfortable, simplified, and standardized method for clinician-performed IUD placement. IUDs are among the most effective reversible contraceptive options, with fewer than 1 out of 100 users becoming pregnant during the first year of typical use; unlike daily pills, weekly patches, or monthly vaginal rings, they provide long-term protection without requiring ongoing user action after placement. Despite these benefits, anticipated insertion pain can prevent potential users from choosing an IUD. Pain, anxiety, cervical manipulation with a tenaculum, uterine sounding, and variability in clinician technique can all contribute to a negative insertion experience, especially for nulliparous patients. Aligna is designed to address these barriers through a tampon-style insertion system with a smooth atraumatic tip, lubrication, controlled alignment, clear orientation cues, adjustable insertion-depth control, simplified IUD deployment, and a topical lidocaine-delivery component that applies a controlled amount of anesthetic formulation to the intended genital or cervical site before insertion. Aligna is not intended to replace required clinical assessment, including pregnancy screening, bimanual examination, cervical inspection, informed consent, or identification of contraindications; instead, it aims to improve the insertion portion of the procedure, reduce avoidable discomfort, and make a highly effective, low-maintenance contraceptive option more acceptable to patients.

Team Picture

(Left to Right) Ashmita Bhowmik, Carolyn Randolph, Kendra Ohde, Alexis DePuydt, Francesca Angiulli
(Left to Right) Ashmita Bhowmik, Carolyn Randolph, Kendra Ohde, Alexis DePuydt, Francesca Angiulli

Files

Progress Reports

Contact Information

Team Members

Advisor and Client

Back to Top