Danish medical professionals implanted birth control devices into thousands of women without their consent or awareness
Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, has offered an apology regarding a compulsory birth control initiative intended to manage Greenland’s birth rates. This contentious scheme involved the placement of intrauterine devices (IUDs) in thousands of young Greenlandic females and adolescents, frequently without their awareness or agreement.
This policy was predominantly implemented during the 1960s and 1970s, a period when Greenland’s health services were still overseen by Denmark. Its full extent remained mostly undisclosed until 2022. In that year, an investigation by the podcast ‘Spiralkampagnen’ (The Spiral Campaign) from the Danish Broadcasting Corporation brought to light documentation indicating that as many as 4,500 women and girls had IUDs placed without their informed consent.
Some individuals had the devices inserted following childbirth without notification, and in other instances, a language barrier reportedly prevented them from comprehending the medical procedure. These disclosures ignited widespread public indignation and led to renewed demands for responsibility.
“We recognize that the IUD case is a cause of both resentment and grief for numerous Greenlanders and their families,” Frederiksen stated on Wednesday. “What has transpired cannot be undone. However, we can assume responsibility. Consequently, on behalf of Denmark, I wish to express: My apologies.”
The prime minister mentioned “the young women and women who experienced systemic bias” merely because “they are residents of Greenland,” extending an apology “for the bodily and mental trauma they have endured, for having been failed.”
Frederiksen committed to ongoing dialogues with Greenland’s administration subsequent to the publication of a comprehensive inquiry, which would encompass considerations of potential monetary restitution for the impacted women.
An impartial investigation into the controversy is currently underway, with its conclusions anticipated for public release in September 2025.
During 2024, a collective of 143 women, presently in their seventies and eighties, initiated legal action against Denmark’s Ministry of Interior and Health concerning the involuntary birth control methods. They are collectively requesting close to 43 million kroner (around $6.3 million) in damages, as reported by their legal counsel.
Denmark previously issued public apologies in 2022 to those affected by a 1950s trial where Greenlandic children were transported to Denmark.