Clinical Specialist Education Sessions
Our licensed clinicians are here to educate on the following Paragard topics:

Paragard Overview & Placement

This session will cover:
- Paragard summary and prescribing information
- Evidence-based contraceptive counseling recommendations
- Menstrual changes with Paragard
- Published clinical practice guidelines
- Practice placement and removal on a pelvic model or virtual simulator

Changes in Menstrual Cycle with Paragard

This session will cover:
- Typical bleeding alterations with long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs)
- Mechanism of action resulting in bleeding with Paragard
- Impact of bleeding alterations on contraceptive method continuation and satisfaction
- Published recommendations for managing menstrual changes with Paragard
- Practice placement and removal on a pelvic model or virtual simulator

Immediate Postpartum (IPP) Utilization of Paragard

This session will cover:
- Utilization of LARCs for IPP contraception
- Facilitators and barriers to IPP LARC access, including policy and reimbursement
- Safety, efficacy, and continuation of IPP LARCs
- Practice placement and removal on a pelvic model or virtual simulation
This session will not discuss IPP placement techniques.

Meet our Paragard Clinical Specialist Team
Our Clinical Specialist team is comprised of 7 clinicians, each with extensive experience, knowledge, and expertise in placing LARCs and providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services.

Lauren Neal
is a board-certified Women’s Healthcare Nurse Practitioner and provides Paragard education and training in the Central region.

Nikole Gettings
is a Certified Nurse Midwife and provides Paragard education and training in the Southeast region.

Gillian Brautigam
is a Certified Nurse Midwife and provides Paragard education and training in the Mountain and Pacific

Jolanta Markiewicz
is a Certified Nurse Midwife and provides Paragard education and training in the Upper Midwest region.

Lora Dibner-Garcia
is a Certified Nurse Midwife and provides Paragard education and training in the Northeast region.

Andrea Conley
is a board-certified Women’s Healthcare Nurse Practitioner and provides Paragard education and training in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Colleen Espenschied
is a certified Physician Assistant who completed a postgraduate residency in Ob/Gyn and provides Paragard education and training in the West region.
Have questions? Contact the clinical specialist team at [email protected]