IUD (intrauterine device)

They are over 99% effective, making them one of the most effective options
you can use to prevent pregnancy. This means if 100 people use an IUD for pregnancy prevention, less than 1 in a year will become pregnant.

They are the MOST effective method for emergency contraception. If you
get this placed within 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex it is over 99.9% effective.

No they do not protect against infections. You need to use another option such as condoms, internal condoms, every time you have sex.

This can differ between hormonal and nonhormonal IUDs. Hormonal IUDs
can make your periods better – by reducing cramping and PMS symptoms and make periods lighter. Sometimes it can even help you skip your periods (which is safe when the IUD is causing this!). Your provider may offer an IUD as an option to help treat medical conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, adenomyosis.

Other side effects of the hormonal IUD that can be seen are pain when IUD
insertion occurs, spotting or breakthrough bleeding between periods,
irregular frequency of periods. Side effects vary person to person and some have none! These side effects improve within 3-6 months typically, if they do not please contact your provider.

Nonhormonal IUD side effects include bleeding between your periods, heavier bleeding or longer periods, worsening cramping during your periods, pain with the IUD insertion. Again, side effects vary between each person, and some have no side effects

If your birth control method is causing bothersome side effects make an appointment to discuss with your provider. There are options to help with these that may improve your experience. If you are having pain with intercourse or spotting with intercourse with an IUD in discuss with your provider as they may need to evaluate for position of you IUD and evaluate for other causes.

You can check a pregnancy test. It’s rare to happen but you do need to call
your provider if this occurs so they can make sure the pregnancy is within
the uterus and not an ectopic pregnancy which can be life-threatening.

Most people will be safe to have an IUD inserted. Discuss with your provider to determine if it is safe for you.

Some indications that your provider may say you are not appropriate at this time for an IUD are: STIs, pelvic infections, think you may be pregnant, have cervical cancer or uterine cancer, or had a recent pelvic infection after childbirth or an abortion in the last 3 months.

If you have Wilson’s disease, a true copper allergy, you should not get a nonhormonal IUD which contains copper.

If you have breast cancer you should not get a hormonal IUD.

Rarely does someone have a uterus that is not able to have an IUD placed, your provider will help determine this with you.

Wash your hands, then sit down (for example on the edge of a toilet or bathtub), put a finger in the vagina and move it in a circular motion. You may feel your cervix which is smooth, firm and rubbery to touch. You should feel your strings , this means it should be in the correct location! If you do not then you should call your provider.

You can use a cup but you want to ensure the strings are not caught within the cup. When placing the cup check around the edges that the strings are within the center of the cup and not on the outer edges. When you are removing your cup make sure you are not grasping the strings with the cup.

You can discuss with your provider if you have concerns that your IUD may have been malpositioned while using a menstrual cup. You can also
consider alternative options for your menstrual products such as a tampon, pad, period underwear.

Remember this is overall a very safe device to use, but there are a few risks associated, and fewer that are serious health consequences.

There is a very small risk of pregnancy, remember IUDs are all over 99.9% effective. You need to contact your provider immediately if you become pregnant so they can discuss next steps and make sure there is not an ectopic pregnancy. Typically and IUD needs removed if you become pregnant as soon as possible.

Pain can occur with the insertion, please discuss with your provider options to help reduce your pain. It can also occur as cramping for a few days after your insertion.

Infection can rarely occur if bacteria enters into the uterus when your IUD is Placed. If left untreated this can cause long-term complications including difficulty getting pregnant.

There is a small chance your IUD could expel itself (meaning come out from the uterus into the cervix or fully out into the vagina or out of the body). If it is not in the correct position you can become pregnant and so typically this does need an appointment to remove your IUD.

More rarely can an IUD migrate through the uterus whether at the time of insertion. If this occurs you will need surgery to have this removed.

Other rare complications include the IUD becoming embedded (stuck) to the uterine wall, sometimes this requires a more difficult removal and more rarely a surgery is needed to remove the IUD. A portion of the IUD could break off, your provider will discuss what to do if this occurs.

You cannot feel your strings
You have a positive pregnancy test or think you might be pregnant
You can feel the plastic portion of the IUD coming through the cervix and/or
in the vagina
Your IUD string length has changed significantly
You have bad cramping/pain in your lower abdomen, pelvis
There is pain or bleeding with sex
Fevers, chills or trouble breathing after insertion without another explanation
Your bleeding vaginally is heavier than normal
Your vaginal discharge has changed significantly after insertion

Yes an IUD is safe to use while breastfeeding and recent from childbirth. It
should not change your breastmilk supply. It can be placed at the time of
delivery – discuss this with your provider if this is something you want to
plan.

No we do not see this in scientific studies that hormonal or nonhormonal
IUDs cause weight gain.

Immediately. If you do not want to risk a pregnancy or plan a pregnancy then
you will want an alternative method for preventing pregnancy.

We do these in a medical office, please call our office at 509-838-4211 if you
want your IUD removed.

IUD removal involves a pelvic examination where a speculum is placed in
the vagina to see the cervix and IUD strings. An instrument is used to grasp
the strings and then the IUD is removed. It is typically a fast procedure with only slight bleeding and/or cramping during removal and right after. Some have no symptoms with removal.

We do not recommend removal at home in case there is a complication
during removal (these are rare, but best served in a medical office with a trained healthcare professional).