The Problem
Nearly 50% of pregnancies in the US and Europe are unintended.
The IUD is one of the most cost-effective contraception methods. 99% effective. But millions of women avoid it. Why? Because the insertion is painful. Really painful.
The culprit is a tool called the tenaculum. It’s basically a pair of scissors with sharp hooks at the end. Doctors use it to grasp and pull the cervix during IUD insertion.
This instrument was invented over a century ago. It hasn’t changed much since.
It causes acute pain, trauma, lesions, and bleeding. 90% of women report mild to severe pain during procedures using the tenaculum. 18% of women avoid IUDs entirely — just because they fear the pain.
64 million women suffer from tenaculum pain every year. A century-old tool is standing between women and effective birth control.
The Solution
Aspivix developed Carevix® — an atraumatic alternative to the tenaculum.
Instead of sharp hooks, it uses patented suction pad technology. Doctors can now grasp the cervix gently. No piercing. No tearing.
The result: significantly less pain, no bleeding, no need for anesthesia or stitches. Faster procedures. Lower costs. And 6 million more women who might finally choose an IUD without fear.
Why Animation Worked Here
Years after we made this animation, Aspivix still shows it on their website. The product is now FDA-cleared, CE-marked, and selling in multiple markets.
What I heard from them: the animation really helped explain the technology.
And I still remember one detail from the production — the sound effect.
We used a “crying scream” when the doctor pulled the cervix with the traditional tenaculum. That sound made people feel the pain. It’s not something you forget.
Sound effects are often underestimated in medical animations. But they’re crucial for emotion. You can show a procedure. But sound makes people feel it.
That’s what turned this animation from “informative” into “unforgettable.”
