What Is An Iud
An intrauterine device is a type of female contraceptive that is inserted through the vagina into the uterus. The most common types of IUDs are T-shaped and plastic, and contain either a synthetic progesterone or copper. IUDs provide long-term contraceptive protection for 3 to 10 years , depending on the type. IUDs do not protect you from sexually transmitted infections, so itâs important to combine them with a barrier method when having sex with a partner of unknown STI-status.
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IUDs can affect your period in several different ways, depending on the type. Hereâs how they differ:
Talk To The Experts For More Infor On Period After Iud Removal
Removing your IUD is a medical procedure that needs to be performed by your doctor. All types of IUDs should be removed when their effectiveness expires. Upon removal, you no longer have protection against pregnancy, and your period will return to normal within three months. For more information about IUDs and how they work, talk to the professionals at Raleigh Gynecology and Wellness. They can answer your questions about safe and effective forms of contraception and schedule an appointment.
Disadvantages Of An Iud
- You have to have the IUD inserted. This is usually a simple, safe procedure carried out by a doctor or nurse who is experienced at inserting IUDs. It takes about five to 10 minutes.
- Most women have some period-like cramping. Some women feel pain and occasionally feel faint when the IUD is put in or taken out.
There are some risks from having an IUD put in:
- there may be a small chance of infection when an IUD is put in
- there is a very small risk of damage or perforation of the womb
- you may get pregnant with an IUD in place but this is rare
- any pregnancy can be ectopic . This risk is less than in women not using any contraception
- a Copper IUD may cause more bleeding and cramping during periods
- the copper can very rarely cause an allergic reaction
- the IUD can occasionally come out by itself . You can check the strings are still in place after each period or at the beginning of each month.
- Mirena may initially cause irregular, light bleeding for more days than usual
- Search the Medsafe website for more information about Mirena’s side effects.
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How Long Does It Take To Work
Mirena can reduce monthly bleeding in females with average or heavy periods. Most females who use Mirena will experience a reduction in blood loss after 3 to 6 months of use.
There is roughly an 80% decrease in blood flow within four months of insertion whether you have regular bleeding or heavy bleeding. After a year of use, over 95% of people have a reduction in bleeding.
Hormonal Vs Copper Iuds
A copper IUD may make you crampier and your period heavier and longer, but these symptoms usually go away after a few months.
A hormonal IUD may make your period lighter and shorter or nonexistent for as long as youre using it. Skyla, Kyleena, Liletta, and Mirena are the big four brands you should know.
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Does It Hurt To Get An Iud
Most women feel cramping or mild discomfort during the insertion process. If you do feel pain, it usually only lasts a moment. After the IUD is inserted, you may feel dizzy or faint. I recommend taking an ibuprofen before your appointment. Making sure that your appointment lands during the last days of your period, when your cervix is naturally open, can reduce discomfort.
The process to put in an IUD begins like a pelvic exam. A speculum, the metal instrument used during a pelvic exam, is inserted into your vagina. This opens your vagina to allow access to your cervix. A small tube with the IUD in it is inserted through your cervix. The IUD arms are bent back in the tube and open once its in your uterus. The process usually takes less than five minutes.
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What Happens If You Want To Continue The Pregnancy
If you choose to continue with the pregnancy, a healthcare professional will likely remove the IUD. This may help reduce the risks of complications, but the pregnancy will still be considered high risk. Most pregnancies with IUDs in place result in ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage.
Still, it is possible to deliver a healthy baby if the embryo is viable. Your healthcare professional will help you choose the best options for your health and the fetus.
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Iud Cramps During The First Months With It
Hormonal and copper IUDs affect menstruation differently. A hormonal IUD can ease your menstrual cramps and make your periods scantier. On the contrary, a copper IUD can cause increased menstrual cramping and heavier periods. These symptoms usually improve in 36 months.
If IUD cramps continue to bother you and pain relievers dont help much, you may wish to consult your doctor. In rare cases, the symptoms can be severe enough to consider removing the IUD.
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Unusually heavy vaginal bleeding
If you have any of these symptoms, its best to consult with your health care provider as soon as possible.
Its also important to check the IUD strings from time to time. If you feel that theyve become shorter or if you can feel the bottom of the IUD itself, it means that the IUD is out of place and you need medical attention. If your IUD is out of place, it may not provide protection from pregnancy, so you need to use a backup method of contraception.
It May Make Your Symptoms More Manageable
Mirena can improve at least one menopause symptom heavy bleeding.
In the years leading up to menopause , your estrogen and progesterone levels bounce up and down. These shifting hormone levels can make your periods lighter or heavier than usual.
At least 25 percent of women who are perimenopausal get heavy periods. Your monthly flow may get so heavy that you soak through a pad or tampon every couple of hours. Mirena should lighten your periods and put you into a more normal flow pattern.
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Symptoms Of A Heavy Period
Few women would be able to estimate the exact amount of blood lost during their period. With that in mind, look for these signs, which indicate heavy bleeding:
- You soak through a pad or tampon every two to three hours.
- Your clothes or bedding is repeatedly stained as a result of a heavy bleeding.
- You have to get up in the middle of the night to change your tampon or pad.
- You wear both a tampon and a pad .
How We Handle Pregnancy With An Iud
Our first step is to determine the type of pregnancy, which could be either:
Intrauterine, which is the normal location for pregnancy development, allowing for fetal growth over 9 months, or
Ectopic, which is when a fertilized egg implants in a fallopian tube or other location outside the uterus and poses serious health risks to the woman
We used to believe that having an IUD increased the risk of having an ectopic pregnancy. Now we understand that because IUDs are so effective at preventing intrauterine pregnancies that, if a pregnancy does occur, theres a higher likelihood that it developed outside the uterus. But patients arent at increased risk for ectopic pregnancies just because they have an IUD.
Next, we look for the IUD strings in the cervix to potentially remove the device. Studies have shown that the risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, and infection of the amniotic sac and fluid before delivery is significantly higher when IUDs are left in place during pregnancy compared to pregnancies in which the IUD is removed. However, while taking out the IUD improves the pregnancy outcome, there is still a higher risk of pregnancy complications compared to patients who never had an IUD in place. For most women whose IUD strings are visible through the cervix, we recommend removal of the IUD at the first visit.
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How Effective Are Iuds When Used As Birth Control
IUDs are one of the best birth control methods out there more than 99% effective. That means fewer than 1 out of 100 people who use an IUD will get pregnant each year.
IUDs are so effective because there’s no chance of making a mistake. You cant forget to take it , or use it incorrectly . And you’re protected from pregnancy 24/7 for 3 to 12 years, depending on which kind you get. Once your IUD is in place, you can pretty much forget about it until it expires. You can keep track of your insertion and removal date using our birth control app.
Are There Iud Removal Side Effects
You may have some spotting for a little while after your nurse or doctor takes out your IUD, but otherwise you should feel totally normal.
When you stop using an IUD, your body will eventually return to the way it was before you got it. So if your period got heavier on the copper IUD, it will go back to what was normal for you before you got the IUD. If you stopped getting your period on the hormonal IUD, your period will eventually come back after the IUD is out. It can take a few months for your period to go back to whats normal for you.
An important thing to note: you can get pregnant right away once your IUD is out, even if your periods arent regular or havent come back yet. So if you have your IUD removed but you dont want to get pregnant, make sure to use another birth control method.
Everyones body is different, and our bodies also change over time. So theres no way to know exactly how your body will react to going off the IUD. But any side effects that you may have will go away within a few months as your body gets used to not having an IUD anymore.
If youre really worried about the side effects of going off the IUD, talk with your nurse or doctor. They may be able to give you more specific information about what to expect based on your personal medical history.
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Iud Removal & Pregnancy
Once your IUD is removed, you are no longer protected against pregnancy.To protect yourself against unwanted pregnancy, you can have your doctor insert another IUD immediately after removing your old device, or you can use another form of contraception altogether. You should discuss the various contraception options available to you with your doctor.
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My Crash Experience After Mirena Removal
I was off on vacation soaking up the sun, sand, and having lots of fun telling some jokes and then WHAMO. it hit me.
Not knowing about the crash, I had the Mirena IUD removed a couple of weeks prior to leaving for our vacation.
I had trouble with my Mirena from the beginning of getting it inserted. After five years, I had it removed. I could have removed it sooner, but I wanted to keep it in for the full 5 years.
The Mirena crash came out of nowhere.
I went to bed feeling relaxed and happy to be on vacation, and then woke up with a crushing, heavy, almost suffocating feeling of blah. Not just any blah, but an I need to go home now because I cannot stand this feeling anymore blah.
That was just day one.
For four days, I felt a crushing anxiety. Then I realized I was experiencing the dreaded Mirena crash.
I wont lie: it sucked. But after four days, I felt pretty much back to normal. Thank you very much, Mirena.
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Getting Contraception During Coronavirus
If you need contraception, call your GP surgery or a sexual health clinic as soon as possible. Only go in person if asked to.
It might not be possible to have an IUD fitted or replaced at the moment.
IUDs are normally used for 5 or 10 years, but can be left in for longer.
If your IUD is due to be replaced and you do not want to get pregnant, use condoms or the progestogen-only pill for now.
Using An Iud After Giving Birth
An IUD can usually be fitted 4 weeks after giving birth . You’ll need to use alternative contraception from 3 weeks after the birth until the IUD is put in.
In some cases, an IUD can be fitted within 48 hours of giving birth. It’s safe to use an IUD when you’re breastfeeding, and it will not affect your milk supply.
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When To See The Doctor
If your period continues to be heavier than normal for more than 6 months, you should see your doctor. Apart from that, see the doctor who inserted your IUD if you experience the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Severe headaches
- Yellow skin or in the whites of your eyes
After all the things said and done, what if you dont have any symptoms of period or spotting like most say they do. Next, let me explain the matter.
It Also Depends On The Type Of Iud You Get
There are four hormonal IUDs Mirena, Kyleena, Liletta, and Skyla and one copper IUD ParaGard.
Hormonal IUDs may make your periods lighter. Some people dont get periods at all while on them.
Copper IUDs often make periods heavier and crampier. However, this may not be a permanent change. Your period may return to its usual state after about six months.
Hormonal birth control can throw off your menstrual cycle. At first, your periods may be heavier than usual. Eventually, the bleeding should get lighter.
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What Can I Expect After An Iud Insertion Procedure
Many people feel perfectly fine right after they get an IUD, while others need to take it easy for a while. There can be some cramping and backaches, so plan on chilling at home after your appointment its a great excuse to curl up on the couch with your favorite book or movie. Heating pads and over-the-counter pain meds can help ease cramps too.
You may have cramping and spotting after getting an IUD, but this almost always goes away within 3-6 months. Hormonal IUDs eventually make periods lighter and less crampy, and you might stop getting a period at all. On the flip side, copper IUDs may make periods heavier and cramps worse. For some people, this goes away over time. If your IUD is causing you pain, discomfort, or side effects you dont like, call your doctor.
Once you get the IUD, a string about 1 or 2 inches long will come out of your cervix and into the top of your vagina dont worry, you wont notice it. The string is there so a nurse or doctor can remove the IUD later. You can feel the string by putting your fingers in your vagina and reaching up toward your cervix. But DONT tug on the string, because you could move your IUD out of place or pull it out.
Remember when you got your IUD , so youll know when it needs to be replaced. The Paragard IUD should be replaced after 12 years. Mirena should be replaced after 7 years. Kyleena should be replaced after 5 years. Liletta should be replaced after 7 years. Skyla should be replaced after 3 years.