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Independent study of the contraceptive practice in Greenland and at continuation schools in Denmark with Greenlandic pupils in the years from 1960 up to and including 1991

Independent study of the IUD case

About

A research team will now begin to uncover what happened in the so-called IUD case, where Greenlandic girls and women had contraceptive IUDs inserted in the 1960s. The researchers will study the scope of the case, the decision-making process behind it and uncover the experiences of the women involved.

The Danish government and Naalakkersuisut have agreed to initiate an independent study of the IUD case and other contraceptive practices in Greenland in the period 1960 to 1991.

Researchers will now study the scope of the case, the decision-making process behind it and uncover the experiences of the women involved.

The project is led by Ilisimatusarfik's Center for Arctic Welfare in collaboration with the Center for Public Health in Greenland at University of Southern Denmark.

The study is expected to be completed by the end of May 2025.

Background

The research team behind the study

Tenna Jensen, head of Ilisimatusarfik's centre for Arctic welfare and senior researcher at the Center for Public Health in Greenland, University of Southern Denmark (head of the research team)
Bonnie Jensen, assistant professor at Ilisimatusarfik
Gitte Adler Reimer, rector at Ilisimatusarfik
Inge Høst Seiding, head of institute at Ilisimatusarfik
Ingelise Olesen, research coordinator at Ilisimatusarfik
Janne Rothmar Herrmann, professor at University of Copenhagen
Kirsten Nystrup, special consultant at the Center for Public Health in Greenland, University of Southern Denmark
Maja Christiansen, special consultant at the Center for Public Health in Greenland, University of Southern Denmark
Mette Seidelin, senior researcher, Danish National Archives
Naja Carina Steenholdt, researcher at the Center for Public Health in Greenland, University of Southern Denmark
A scientific assistant who is hired at Ilisimatusarfik when the study has begun

This is what the independent study will uncover

The historical context of the contraceptive practice that began in the 1960s.
The decision-making process leading up to the initiative to introduce the use of IUDs and other contraceptive methods.
The concrete implementation in Greenland and for Greenlandic girls enrolled in continuation schools in Denmark.
How the Greenlandic girls and women have experienced the process through the collection of witness accounts.
The legal, administrative and healthcare basis at the time for IUD insertion and other contraceptive practices in the country and for students at continuation schools in Denmark during the period.

Terms of reference & agreement

Read the terms of reference for the study here (in Danish).

Send us your story

Personal stories can be submitted to the research team in the fall when story collection begins.

If you wish to submit your report now, you can submit it to the National Medical Board as before. You can do this by submitting the report as a health professional complaint via sullissivik.gl - or by contacting the National Medical Board directly by email at [email protected] or by regular mail to:

Landslægeembedet
P.O. Box 120
3900 Nuuk

If you have already sent your report to the National Medical Board, then you do not need to send it again, as the research team will receive these unless you wish to elaborate further.

Contact

From 1 October 2023, you can contact us by phone. We will add the phone numbers when they are in place.

You will be able to call in every Tuesday and Thursday between 10:00 - 15:00. The numbers are toll-free - and you will also be able to leave your story on our voicemail outside of these hours.

For further information - contact Tenna Jensen, head of the research team, at [email protected].

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